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BERTRAND   SMITH 
140  Pacffic  Ava. 

L«N6  BEACH. 

CAl 


ALLAN  PINKERTON'S 

DETECTIVE  STORIES 


T  H  E 


EXPRESSMAN 


THE  DETECTIVE. 


BY    ALLAN    PINKERTON 


FIFTEENTH  THOUSAND. 


CHICAGO: 
W.    B.    KEEN,    COOKE&CO., 

113  AND  115  STATE  STREET. 

1875- 


COPYRIGHT, 
W.    B.    KEEN,    COOKE   &    CO.. 

A.  n.  1874. 


PREFACE. 


DURING  the  greater  portion  of  a  very  busy  life,  I 
have  been  actively  engaged  in  the  profession  of  a 
Detective,  and  hence  have  been  brought  in  contact  with 
many  men,  and   have  been  an  interested  participant  in 
many  exciting  occurrences. 

The  narration  of  some  of  the  most  interesting  of  these 
events,  happening  in  connection  with  my  professional 
labors,  is  the  realization  of  a  pleasure  I  have  long  antic 
ipated,  and  is  the  fulfillment  of  promises  repeatedly  made 
to  numerous  friends  in  by  gone  days. 

"THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE," 

and  the  other  works  announced  by  my  publishers,  are  all 
true  stories,  transcribed  from  the  Records  in  my  offices. 
If  there  be  any  incidental  embellishment,  it  is  so  slight 
that  the  actors  in  these  scenes  from  the  drama  of  life 
would  never  themselves  detect  it ;  and  if  the  incidents 
seem  to  the  reader  at  all  marvelous  or  improbable,  I  can 
but  remind  him,  in  the  words  of  the  old  adage,  that 
"Truth  is  stranger  than  fiction." 

ALLAN  PINKERTON. 
CHICAGO,  October,  1874. 


PUBLISHERS'  NOTICE. 


The  present  Volume  is  the  first  of  a  series  of  Mr. 
Allan  Pinkerton's  thrilling  and  beautifully  written 

DETECTIVE  STORIES, 

all  true  to  life  —  founded  upon   incidents  in  the    expe 
rience  of  the  great  chief  of  all  detectives. 

At  intervals  the  following  will  appear: 

"CLAUDE  MELNOTTE  AS  A  DETECTIVE." 

"THE  Two  SISTERS  AND  THE  AVENGER." 

"THE  FRENCHMAN  AND  THE  BILLS  OF  EXCHANGE." 

"THE  MURDERER  AND  THE  FORTUNE  TELLER." 

"THE  MODEL  TOWN  AND  ITS  DETECTIVE." 

That  these  Volumes  will  meet  with  a  cordial  reception 

we  have  no  doubt. 

W.  B.  KEEN,  COOKE  &  Co. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


I.  Frontispiece — THE  ROBBER. 

II.  At  this  inopportune  moment  Simon  gave  way  to  his  oars,  and 

left  the  poor  deputy  hanging  in  the  air pp.     40 

III.  "  Yah  !  yah  !  yah  !"   roared  both  the  darkies  ;    "  you  don't 
know  Mother  Binks  !      Why,  she  keeps  the  finest  gals  on  all 

the  riber." . page     69 

IV.  As  he  gaily  entered  the  gallery,  twirling  his  handsome  cane, 
he  was  welcomed  by  a  pleasant  smile  from  a  young  lady,  an 
octoroon page     73 

V.  Cox  and  his  friends    joined  in  having  a  good  time  at  the 
tinker's  expense,  and  pronounced  him   "  the   prince  of  good 
fellows.'' page     86 

VI.  Franklin   gave  bb  orders,  and  the  delicious  bivalves  were 
soon  smoking  before  them.     *     *     *     He  kept  the  alderman 
in  such  roars  of  laughter  that  he  could   scarcely  swallow  his 
oysters. page  125 

VII.  "You  are  my  prisoner !"  said  he.     "Nathan  Maroney,  I 
demand  that  you  immediately  deliver  to  me  fifty  thousand  dol 
lars,  the  property  of  the  Adams'  Express  Co." page  131 

VIII.  On  and  on  he  plunged  through  the  darkness,  following 
the  sound  of  the  hoofs  and  wheels.     At  times  he  felt  that  he 
must  give  up  and  drop  by  the  way  ;  but  he  forced  the  feeling 
back  and  plunged  on  with  the  determination  of  winning page  145 

IX.  "  Wai,  stranger,  whar  yar  bound?"  was  his  first  salutation. 
Roch   looked    at    him    in    a.   bewildered    way  and  then    said, 

"  Nichts  verstehe!" page  158 

X.  Mrs.  Maroney  looked  him  full  in  the  face  with  flashing  eyes, 
clenched  her  little  hand,  and  in  a  voice  hoarse  from  passion, 
exclaimed  :  "  What  do  you  want  here,  you  scoundrel?" page  190 

XI.  In  a  second,  Mrs.  Maroney  grasped  a  pitcher  and  smashed 

it  over  Josh. 's  skull page  222 

XII.  Raising  the  dead  animal  by  its   caudal   appendage,   he 
angrily  exclaimed,  "  That's  my  dog!" page  226 

XIII.  As  he  stood  outside  of  the  counter,  I  was  enabled  to  call 
off  all  the  packages  on  the  way-bill,  but  dropped  the  four  con 
taining  the  forty  thousand  dollars  under  the  counter page  237 

XIV.  The  peddler  lifted  his  satchel  into  the  buggy  ;  the  Madam 
hurriedly   emptied    it    of    its    contents,   and    holding   it    open 
jammed  the  bundle  of  money  into  it,  and  handed  it  back  to 

the  peddler -- page  268 


THE   EXPRESSMAN 

—  AND  — 

THE   DETECTIVE. 


CHAPTER  /. 

MONTGOMERY,  Alabama,  is  beautifully  situated 
on  the  Alabama  river,  near  the  centre  of  the  State. 
Its  situation  at  the  head  of  navigation,  on  the  Alabama 
river,  its  connection  by  rail  with  important  points,  and 
the  rich  agricultural  country  with  which  it  is  surrounded, 
make  it  a  great  commercial  centre,  and  the  second  city  in 
the  State  as  regards  wealth  and  population.  It  is  ihe 
capital,  and  consequently  learned  men  and  great  poli 
ticians  flock  to  it,  giving  it  a  society  of  the  highest  rank, 
and  making  it  the  social  centre  of  the  State. 

From  1858  to  1860,  the  time  of  which  I  treat  in  the 
present  work,  the  South  was  in  a  most  prosperous  condi 
tion.  "Cotton  was  king,"  and  millions  of  dollars  were 
poured  into  the  country  for  its  purchase,  and  a  fair  share 
of  this  money  found  its  way  to  Montgomery. 

When  the  Alabama  planters  had  gathered  their  crops 


10  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

of  cotton,  tobacco,  rice,  etc.,  they  sent  then\  to  Mont 
gomery  to  be  sold,  and  placed  the  proceeds  on  deposit  in 
its  banks.  During  their  busy  season,  while  overseeing 
the  labor  of  their  slaves,  they  were  almost  entirely 
debarred  from  the  society  of  any  but  their  own  families; 
but  when  the  crops  were  gathered  they  went  with  their 
families  to  Montgomery,  where  they  gave  themselves  up 
to  enjoyment,  spending  their  money  in  a  most  lavish 
manner. 

There  were  several  gocd  hotels  in  the  city  and  they 
were  always  filled  to  overflowing  with  the  wealth  and 
beauty  of  the  South. 

The  Adams  Express  Company  had  a  monopoly  of  the 
express  business  of  the  South,  and  had  established  its 
agencies  at  ali  points  with  which  there  was  communica 
tion  by  rail,  steam  or  stage.  They  handled  all  the  money 
sent  to  the  South  for  the  purchase  of  produce,  or  remitted 
to  the  North  in  payment  of  merchandise.  Moreover,  as 
they  did  all  the  express  business  for  the  banks,  besides 
moving  an  immense  amount  of  freight,  it  is  evident  that 
their  business  was  enormous. 

At  all  points  of  importance,  where  there  were  diverging 
routes  of  communication,  the  company  had  established 
principal  agencies,  at  which  all  through  freight  and  the 
money  pouches  were  delivered  by  the  messengers.  The 
agents  at  these  points  were  selected  with  the  greatest 
care,  and  were  always  considered  men  above  reproach. 
Montgomery  being  a  great  centre  of  trade  was  made  the 
western  terminus  of  one  of  the  express  routes,  Atlanta 
oeing  the  eastern.  The  messengers  who  had  charge  of 
the  express  matter  between  these  two  points  were  each 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.       11 

provided  with  a  safe  and  with  a  pouch.  The  latter  was 
to  contain  only  such  packages  as  were  to  go  over  the 
whole  route,  consisting  of  money  or  other  valuables. 
The  messenger  was  not  furnished  with  a  key  to  the 
pouch,  but  it  was  handed  to  him  locked  by  the  agent  at 
one  end  of  the  route  to  be  delivered  in  the  same  condi 
tion  to  the  agent  at  the  other  end. 

The  safe  was  intended  for  way  packages,  and  of  it  the 
messenger  of  course  had  a  key.  The  pouch  was  carried 
in  the  safe,  each  being  protected  by  a  lock  of  peculiar 
construction. 

The  Montgomery  office  in  1858,  and  for  some  years 
previous,  had  been  in  charge  of  Nathan  Maroney,  and  he 
had  made  himself  one  of  the  most  popular  agents  in  the 
company's  employ. 

He  was  married,  and  with  his  wife  and  one  daughter, 
had  pleasant  quarters  at  the  Exchange  Hotel,  one  of  the 
best  houses  in  the  city.  He  possessed  all  the  qualifica 
tions  which  make  a  popular  man.  He  had  a  genial, 
hearty  manner,  which  endeared  him  to  the  open,  hospita 
ble  inhabitants  of  Montgomery,  so  that  he  was  "hail 
fellow,  well  met,"  with  most  of  its  populace.  He  pos 
sessed  great  executive  ability  and  hence  managed  the 
affairs  of  his  office  in  a  very  satisfactory  manner.  The 
promptness  with  which  he  discharged  his  duties  had  won 
for  him  the  well-merited  esteem  of  the  officers  of  the 
company,  and  he  was  in  a  fair  way  of  attaining  a  still 
higher  position.  His  greatest  weakness — if  it  may  be  so 
called — was  a  love  for  fast  horses,  which  often  threw  him 
into  the  company  of  betting  men. 

On  the  morning  of  the  twenty-sixth  of  April,  1858,  the 


12  PJNKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

messenger  from  Atlanta  arrived  in  Montgomery,  placed 
his  safe  in  the  office  as  usual,  and  when  Maroney  came  in, 
turned  over  to  him  the  through  pouch. 

Maroney  unlocked  the  pouch  and  compared  it  with  the 
way-bill,  when  he  discovered  a  package  of  four  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  a  party  in  Mont 
gomery  which  was  not  down  on  the  way-bill.  About  a 
week  after  this  occurrence,  advice  was  received  that  a 
package  containing  ten  thousand  dollars  in  bills  of  the 
Planters'  and  Mechanics'  Bank  of  Charleston,  S.  C.,  had 
been  sent  to  Columbus,  Ga.,  via  the  Adams  Express,  but 
the  person  to  whom  it  was  directed  had  not  received  it. 
Inquiries  were  at  once  instituted,  when  it  was  discovered 
'that  it  had  been  missent,  and  forwarded  to  Atlanta, 
instead  of  Macon.  At  Atlanta  it  was  recollected  that 
this  package,  together  with  one  for  Montgomery,  for 
four  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  had  been 
received  on  Sunday,  the  twenty-fifth  of  April,  and  had 
been  sent  on  to  Montgomery,  whence  the  Columbus 
package  could  be  forwarded  the  next  day.  Here  all 
trace  of  the  missing  package  was  lost.  Maroney  stated 
positively  that  he  had  not  received  it,  and  the  messenger 
was  equally  positive  that  the  pouch  had  been  delivered 
to  Maroney  in  the  same  order  in  which  he  received  it 
from  the  Atlanta  agent. 

The  officers  of  the  company  were  completely  at  a  loss. 
It  was  discovered  beyond  a  doubt  that  the  package  had 
been  sent  from  Atlanta.  The  messenger  who  received  it 
bore  an  excellent  character,  and  the  company  could  not 
believe  him  guilty  of  the  theft.  The  lock  of  the  pouch 
was  examined  and  found  in  perfect  order,  so  that  it  evi- 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.      13 

dently  had  not  been  tampered  with.  The  messenger  was 
positive  that  he  had  not  left  the  safe  open  when  he  went 
out  of  the  car,  and  there  was  no  sign  of  the  lock's  having 
been  forced.  • 

The  more  the  case  was  investigated,  the  more  directly 
did  suspicion  point  to  Maroney,  but  as  his  integrity  had 
always  been  unquestioned,  no  one  now  was  willing  to 
admit  the  possibility  of  his  guilt.  However,  as  no  decided 
action  in  the  matter  could  be  taken,  it  was  determined  to 
say  nothing,  but  to  have  the  movements  of  Maroney  and 
other  suspected  parties  closely  watched. 

For  this  purpose  various  detectives  were  employed; 
one  a  local  detective  of  Montgomery,  named  McGibony; 
others  from  New  Orleans,  Philadelphia,  Mobile,  and  New 
York.  After  a  long  investigation  these  parties  had  to 
give  up.  the  case  as  hopeless,  all  concluding  that  Maroney 
was  an  innocent  man.  Among  the  detectives,  however 
was  one  from  New  York,  Robert  Boyer,  by  name,  an  old 
and  favorite  officer  of  Mr.  Matsell  when  he  was  chief  of 
the  New  York  police.  He  had  made  a  long  and  tedious 
examination  and  finding  nothing  definite  as  to  what  had 
become  of  the  money,  had  turned  his  attention  to  discov 
ering  the  antecedents  of  Maroney,  but  found  nothing 
positively  suspicious  in  his  life  previous  to  his  entering 
the  employ  of  the  company.  He  discovered  that  Ma 
roney  was  the  son  of  a  physician,  and  that  he  was  born 
in  the  town  of  Rome,  Ga. 

Here  I  would  remark  that  the  number  of  titled  men 
one  meets  in  the  South  is  astonishing.  Every  man,  if  he 
is  not  a  doctor,  a  lawyer,  or  a  clergyman,  has  some  mili 
tary  title  —  nothing  lower  than  captain  being  admissible. 


14  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

Of  these  self-imposed  titles  they  are  very  jealous,  and 
woe  be  to  the  man  who  neglects  to  address  them  in  the 
proper  form.  Captain  is  the  general  title,  and  is  applied 
indiscriminately  to  the  captain  of  a  steamer,  or  to  the 
deck  hand  on  his  vessel. 

Maroney  remained  in  Rome  until  he  became  a  young 
man,  when  he  emigrated  to  Texas.  On  the  breaking 
out  of  the  Mexican  war  he  joined  a  company  of  Texan 
Rangers,  and  distinguished  himself  in  a  number  of  bat 
tles.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  settled  in  Montgomery, 
in  the  year  1851,  or  1852,  and  was  employed  by  Hampton 
&  Co.,  owners  of  a  line  of  stages,  to  act  as  their  agent. 
On  leaving  this  position,  he  was  made  treasurer  of  John 
son  &  May's  circus,  remaining  with  the  company  until  it 
was  disbanded  in  consequence  of  the  pecuniary  difficul 
ties  of  the  proprietors  —  caused,  it  was  alleged,  through 
Maroney's  embezzlement  of  the  funds,  though  this  alle 
gation  proved  false,  and  he  remained  for  many  years  on 
terms  of  intimacy  with  one  of  the  partners,  a  resident  of 
Montgomery.  When  the  company  disbanded  he  obtained 
a  situation  as  conductor  on  a  railroad  in  Tennessee,  and 
was  afterwards  made  Assistant  Superintendent,  which 
position  he  resigned  to  take  the  agency  of  the  Adams 
Express  Company,  in  Montgomery.  His  whole  life 
seemed  spotless  up  to  the  time  of  the  mysterious  dis 
appearance  of  the  ten  thousand  dollars. 

In  the  fall  of  the  year,  Maroney  obtained  leave  of 
absence,  and  made  a  trip  to  the  North,  visiting  the  prin 
cipal  cities  of  the  East,  and  also  of  the  Northwest.  He 
was  followed  on  this  trip,  but  nothing  was  discovered, 
with  the  single  exception  that  his  associates  were  not 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.       15 

always  such  as  were  desirable  in  an  employe,  to  whose 
keeping  very  heavy  interests  were  from  time  to  time  nec 
essarily  committed.  He  was  lost  sight  of  at  Richmond, 
Va.,  for  a  few  days,  and  was  supposed  by  the  man  who 
was  following  him,  to  have  passed  the  time  in  Charleston. 

The  company  now  gave  up  all  hope  of  recovering  the 
money ;  but  as  Maroney's  habits  were  expensive,  and 
they  had  lost,  somewhat,  their  confidence  in  him,  they 
determined  to  remove  him  and  place  some  less  objec 
tionable  person  in  his  place. 

Maroney's  passion  for  fine  horses  has  already  been 
alluded  to.  It  was  stated  about  this  time  that  he  owned 
several  fast  horses;  among  others,  "Yankee  Mary,"  a 
horse  for  which  he  was  said  to  have  paid  two  thousand 
five  hundred  dollars ;  but  as  he  had  brought  seven  thou 
sand  five  hundred  dollars  with  him  when  he  entered  the 
employ  of  the  company,  this  could  not  be  considered  a 
suspicious  circumstance. 

It  having  been  determined  to  remove  Maroney,  the 
Vice-President  of  the  company  wrote  to  the  Superin 
tendent  of  the  Southern  Division  of  the  steps  he  wished 
taken.  The  Superintendent  of  the  Southern  Division 
visited  Montgomery  on  the  twentieth  of  January,  1859, 
but  was  anticipated  in  the  matter  of  carrying  out  his 
instructions,  by  Maroney's  tendering  his  resignation. 
The  resignation  was  accepted,  but  the  superintendent 
requested  him  to  continue  in  charge  of  the  office  until 
his  successor  should  arrive. 

This  he  consented  to  do. 


CHAPTER    II. 

PREVIOUS  to  Maroney's  trip  to  the  North,  Mr. 
Boyer  held  a  consultation  with  the  Vice-President 
and  General  Superintendent  of  the  company.  He  freely 
admitted  his  inability  to  fathom  the  mystery  surrounding 
the  loss  of  the  money,  and  thought  the  officers  of  the 
company  did  Maroney  a  great  injustice  in  supposing  him 
guilty  of  the  theft.  He  said  he  knew  of  only  one  man 
who  could  bring  out  the  robbery,  and  he  was  living  in 
Chicago. 

Pinkerton  was  the  name  of  the  man  he  referred  to. 
He  had  established  an  agency  in  Chicago,  and  was  doing 
a  large  business.  He  (Boyer)  had  every  confidence  in 
his  integrity  and  ability,  which  was  more  than  he  could 
say  of  the  majority  of  detectives,  and  recommended  the 
Vice-President  to  have  him  come  down  and  look  into  the 
case. 

This  ended  the  case  for  most  of  the  detectives.  One 
by  one  they  had  gone  away,  and  nothing  had  been  devel 
oped  by  them.  The  Vice-President,  still  anxious  to  see 
if  anything  could  be  done,  wrote  a  long  and  full  state 
ment  of  the  robbery  and  sent  it  to  me,  with  the  request 
that  I  would  give  my  opinion  on  it. 

I  was  much  surprised  when  I  received  the  letter,  as  I 
had  not  the  slightest  idea  who  the  Vice-President  was, 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.       17 

and  knew  very  little  about  the  Adams  Express,  as,  at 
that  time,  they  had  no  office  in  the  West. 

I,  however,  sat  down  and  read  it  over  very  carefully, 
and,  on  finishing  it,  determined  to  make  a  point  in  the 
case  if  I  possibly  could.  I  reviewed  the  whole  of  the 
Vice-President's  letter,  debating  every  circumstance 
connected  with  the  robbery,  and  finally  ended  my  con 
sideration  of  the  subject  with  the  firm  conviction  that 
the  robbery  had  been  committed  either  by  the  agent, 
Maroney,  or  by  the  messenger,  and  I  was  rather  inclined 
to  give  the  blame  to  Maroney. 

The  letter  was  a  very  long  one,  but  one  of  which  I 
have  always  been  proud.  Having  formed  my  opinion,  I 
wrote  to  the  Vice-President,  explained  to  him  the  ground 
on  which  I  based  my  conclusions,  and  recommended  that 
they  keep  Maroney  in  their  employ,  and  have  a  strict 
watch  maintained  over  his  actions. 

After  sending  my  letter,  >  could  do  nothing  until  the 
Vice-President  replied,  which  I  expected  he  would  do  in 
a  few  days ;  but  I  heard  nothing  more  of  the  affair  for  a 
long  time,  and  had  almost  entirely  forgotten  it,  when  I 
received  a  telegraphic  dispatch  from  him,  sent  from 
Montgomery,  and  worded  about  as  follows  : 

"  ALLAN  PINKERTON  :  Can  you  send  me  a  man — half 
horse  and  half  alligator  ?  I  have  got  '  bit '  once  more  ! 
When  can  you  send  him  ?  " 

The  dispatch  came  late  Saturday  night,  and  I  retired 
to  my  private  office  to  think  the  matter  over.  The  dis 
patch  gave  me  no  information  from  which  I  could  draw 
any  conclusions.  No  mention  was  made  of  how  the  rob- 


18  PINKERTOWS  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

bery  was  committed,  or  of  the  amount  stolen.  I  had  not 
received  any  further  information  of  the  ten  thousand 
dollar  robbery.  How  had  they  settled  that  ?  It  was 
hard  to  decide  what  kind  of  a  man  to  send!  I  wanted 
to  send  the  very  best,  and  would  gladly  go  myself,  but 
did  not  know  whether  the  robbery  was  important  enough 
to  demand  my  personal  attention. 

I  did  not  know  what  kind  of  men  the  officers  of  the 
company  were,  or  whether  they  would  be  willing  to 
reward  a  person  properly  for  his  exertions  in  their  behalf. 

At  that  time  I  had  no  office  in  New  York,  and  knew 
nothing  of  the  ramifications  of  the  company.  Besides, 
I  did  not  know  how  I  would  be  received  in  the  South.  I 
had  held  my  anti-slavery  principles  too  long  to  give 
them  up.  They  had  been  bred  in  my  bones,  and  it  was 
impossible  to  eradicate  them.  I  was  always  stubborn, 
and  in  any  circumstances  would  never  abandon  princi 
ples  I  had  once  adopted. 

Slavery  was  in  full  blossom,  and  an  anti-slavery  man 
could  do  nothing  in  the  South.  As  I  had  always  been 
a  man  somewhat  after  the  John  Brown  stamp,  aiding 
slaves  to  escape,  or  keeping  them  employed,  and  running 
them  into  Canada  when  in  danger,  I  did  not  think  it 
would  do  for  me  to  make  a  trip  to  Montgomery. 

I  did  not  know  what  steps  had  already  been  taken  in 
the  case,  or  whether  the  loss  was  a  heavy  one.  From 
the  Vice-President's  saying  he  wanted  a  man  "  half  horse, 
half  alligator,"  I  supposed  he  wanted  a  man  who  could  at 
least  affiliate  readily  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  Somh. 

But  what  class  was  he  to  mix  with  ?  Did  he  w/int  a 
man  to  mix  with  the  rough  element,  or  to  pass  among 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.      19 

gentlemen  ?  I  could  select  from  my  force  any  class  of 
man  he  could  wish.  But  what  did  he  wish  ? 

I  was  unaware  of  who  had  recommended  me  to  the 
Vice-President,  as  at  that  time  I  had  not  been  informed 
that  my  old  friend  Boyer  had  spoken  so  well  of  me. 
What  answer  should  I  make  to  the  dispatch  ?  It  must 
be  answered  immediately  ! 

These  thoughts  followed  each  other  in  rapid  succession 
as  I  held  the  dispatch  before  me. 

I  finally  settled  on  Porter  as  the  proper  man  to  send, 
and  immediately  telegraphed  the  Vice-President,  inform 
ing  him  that  Porter  would  start  for  Montgomery  by  the 
first  train.  I  then  sent  for  Porter  and  gave  him  what  few 
instructions  I  could.  I  told  him  the  little  I  knew  of 
the  case,  and  that  I  should  have  to  rely  greatly  on  his 
tact  and  discretion. 

Up  to  that  time  I  had  never  done  any  business  for 
the  Adams  Express,  and  as  their  business  was  well  worth 
having,  I  was  determined  to  win. 

He  was  to  go  to  Montgomery  and  get  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  the  town  and  its  surroundings ;  and  as 
my  suspicions  had  become  aroused  as  to  the  integrity  of 
the  agent,  Maroney,  he  was  to  form  his  acquaintance, 
and  frequent  the  saloons  and  livery  stables  of  the  town, 
the  Vice-President's  letter  having  made  me  aware  of 
Maroney's  inclination  for  fast  horses.  He  was  to  keep 
his  own  counsel,  and,  above  all  things,  not  let  it  become 
known  that  he  was  from  the  North,  but  to  hail  from 
Richmond,  Va.,  thus  securing  for  himself  a  good  footing 
with  the  inhabitants.  He  was  also  to  dress  in  the  South 
ern  style ;  to  supply  me  with  full  reports  describing  the 


20  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

town  and  its  surroundings,  the  manners  and  customs  of 
its  people,  all  he  saw  or  heard  about  Maroney,  the  mes 
sengers  and  other  employes  of  the  company  ;  whether 
Maroney  was  married,  and,  if  so,  any  suspicious  circum 
stances  in  regard  to  his  wife  as  well  as  himself — in  fact, 
to  keep  me  fully  informed  of  all  that  occurred.  I  should 
have  to  rely  on  his  discretion  until  his  reports  were 
received ;  but  then  I  could  direct  him  how  to  act.  I  also 
instructed  him  to  obey  all  orders  from  the  Vice-Presi 
dent,  and  to  be  as  obliging  as  possible. 

Having  given  him  his  instructions,  I  started  him  off  on 
the  first  train,  giving  him  a  letter  of  introduction  to  the 
Vice-President.  On  Porter's  arriving  in  Montgomery  he 
sent  me  particulars  of  the  case,  from  which  I  learned 
that  while  Maroney  was  temporarily  filling  the  position 
of  agent,  among  other  packages  sent  to  the  Montgomery 
office,  on  the  twenty-seventh  of  January,  1859,  were  four 
containing,  in  the  aggregate,  forty  thousand  dollars,  of 
which  one,  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  was  to 
be  sent  to  Charleston,  S.  C.,  and  the  other  three,  of 
thirty  thousand,  five  thousand,  and  two  thousand  five 
hundred  respectively,  were  intended  for  Augusta.  These 
were  receipted  for  by  Maroney,  and  placed  in  the  vault 
to  be  sent  off  the  next  day.  On  the  twenty-eighth  the 
pouch  was  given  to  the  messenger,  Mr.  Chase,  and  by 
him  taken  to  Atlanta.  When  the  pouch  was  opened,  it 
was  found  that  none  of  these  packages  were  in  it,  although 
they  were  entered  on  the  way-bill  which  accompanied  the 
pouch,  and  were  duly  checked  off.  The  poor  messenger 
was  thunder-struck,  and  for  a  time  acted  like  an  idiot, 
plunging  his  hand  into  the  vacant  pouch  over  and  over 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.      21 

again,  and  staring  vacantly  at  the  way-bill.  The  Assist 
ant  Superintendent  of  the  Southern  Division  was  in  the 
Atlanta  office  when  the  loss  was  discovered,  and  at  once 
telegraphed  to  Maroney  for  an  explanation.  Receiving 
no  reply  before  the  train  started  for  Montgomery,  he  got 
aboard  and  went  directly  there.  On  his  arrival  he  went 
to  the  office  and  saw  Maroney,  who  said  he  knew  nothing 
at  all  of  the  matter.  He  had  delivered  the  packages  to 
the  messenger,  had  his  receipt  for  them,  and  of  course 
could  not  be  expected  to  keep  track  of  them  when  out 
of  his  possession. 

Before  Mr.  Hall,  the  route  agent,  left  Atlanta  he  had 
examined  the  pouch  carefully,  but  could  find  no  marks 
of  its  having  been  tampered  with.  He  had  immediately 
telegraphed  to  another  officer  of  the  company,  who  was 
at  Augusta,  and  advised  him  of  what  had  happened. 
The  evening  after  the  discovery  of  the  loss  the  pouch 
was  brought  back  by  the  messenger  from  Atlanta,  who 
delivered  it  to  Maroney. 

Maroney  took  out  the  packages,  compared  them  with 
the  way-bill,  and,  finding  them  all  right,  he  threw  down 
the  pouch  and  placed  the  packages  in  the  vault. 

In  a  few  moments  he  came  out,  and  going  over  to  where 
Mr.  Hall  was  standing,  near  where  he  had  laid  down  the 
pouch,  he  picked  it  up  and  proceeded  to  examine  it.  He 
suddenly  exclaimed,  "Why,  it's  cut !"  and  handed  it  over 
to  Mr.  Hall.  Mr.  Hall,  on  examination,  found  two  cuts 
at  right  angles  to  each  other,  made  in  the  side  of  the 
pouch  and  under  the  pocket  which  is  fastened  on  the 
outside,  to  contain  the  way-bill. 

On    Sunday    the    General    Superintendent    arrived    in 


22  PJNKEK  TON ' S  DE  TE CTIVE  S TORIES. 

Montgomery,  when  a  strict  investigation  was  made,  but 
nothing  definite  was  discovered,  and  the  affair  seemed 
surrounded  by  an  impenetrable  veil  of  mystery.  It  was, 
however,  discovered  that  on  the  day  the  missing  packages 
were  claimed  to  have  been  sent  away,  there  were  several 
rather  unusual  incidents  in  the  conduct  of  Maroney. 

After  consultation  with  Mr.  Hall  and  others,  the  Gen 
eral  Superintendent  determined  that  the  affair  should  not 
be  allowed  to  rest,  as  was  the  ten  thousand  dollar  robbery, 
and  had  Maroney  arrested,  charged  with  stealing  the  forty 
thousand  dollars. 

The  robbery  of  so  large  an  amount  caused  great  excite 
ment  in  Montgomery.  The  legislature  was  in  session, 
and  the  city  was  crowded  with  senators,  representatives 
and  visitors.  Everywhere,  on  the  streets,  in  the  saloons, 
in  private  families,  and  at  the  hotels,  the  great  robbery  of 
the  Express  Company  was  the  universal  topic  of  conver 
sation.  Maroney  had  become  such  a  favorite  that  nearly 
all  the  citizens  sympathized  with  him,  and  in  unmeasured 
terms  censured  the  company  for  having  him  arrested. 
They  claimed  that  it  was  another  instance  of  the  perse 
cution  of  a  poor  man  by  a  powerful  corporation,  to  cover 
the  carelessness  of  those  high  in  authority,  and  thus  turn 
the  blame  on  some  innocent  person. 

Maroney  was  taken  before  Justice  Holtzclaw,  and  gave 
the  bail  which  was  required  —  forty  thousand  dollars  — 
for  his  appearance  for  examination  a  few  days  later  ;  prom 
inent  citizens  of  the  town  actually  vicing  with  one  another 
for  an  opportunity  to  sign  his  bail-bond. 

At  the  examination  the  Company  presented  such  a  weak 
case  that  the  bail  was  reduced  to  four  thousand  dollars, 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AXD   THE  DETECTIVE.      23 

and  Maroney  was  bound  over  in  that  amount  to  ap 
pear  for  trial  at  the  next  session  of  the  circuit  court, 
to  be  held  in  June.  The  evidence  was  such  that  there 
was  linle  prospect  of  his  conviction  on  the  charge  unless 
the  company  could  procure  additional  evidence  by  the 
time  the  trial  was  to  come  off. 

It  was  the  desire  of  the  company  to  make  such 
inquiries,  and  generally  pursue  such  a  course  as  would 
demonstrate  the  guilt  or  the  possible  innocence  of  the 
accused.  It  was  absolutely  necessary  for  their  own  pres 
ervation  to  show  that  depredations  upon  them  could  not 
be  committed  with  impunity.  They  offered  a  reward  of 
ten  thousand  dollars  for  the  recovery  of  the  money, 
promptly  made  good  the  loss  of  the  parties  who  had 
entrusted  the  several  amounts  to  their  charge,  and  looked 
around  to  select  such  persons  to  assist  them  as  would  be 
most  likely  to  secure  success.  The  amount  was  large 
enough  to  warrant  the  expenditure  of  a  considerable  sum 
in  its  recovery,  and  the  beneficial  influence  following  the 
conviction  of  the  guilty  party  would  be  ample  return  for 
any  outlay  securing  that  object.  The  General  Superin 
tendent  therefore  telegraphed  to  me,  as  before  related, 
requesting  me  to  send  a  man  to  work  up  the  case. 


CHAPTER  III. 

MR.  PORTER  had  a  very  rough  journey  to  Mont 
gomery,  and  \vas  delayed  some  days  on  the  road. 
It  was  in  the  depth  of  winter,  and  in  the  North  the  roads 
were  blockaded  with  snow,  while  in  the  South  there  was 
constant  rain.  The  rivers  were  flooded,  carrying  away 
the  bridges  and  washing  out  the  embankments  of  the 
railroads,  very  much  impeding  travel. 

On  his  arrival  in  Montgomery  he  saw  the  General 
Superintendent  and  presented  his  letter.  He  received 
from  him  the  particulars  of  the  forty  thousand  dollar 
robbery,  and  immediately  reported  them  to  me. 

The  General  Superintendent  directed  him  to  watch  — 
"shadow"  as  we  call  it  —  the  movements  of  Maroney, 
find  out  who  were  his  companions,  and  what  saloons  he 
frequented. 

Porter  executed  his  duties  faithfully,  and  reported  to 
me  that  Montgomery  was  decidedly  a  fast  town  ;  that  the 
Exchange  Hotel,  where  Maroney  boarded,  was  kept  by 
Mr.  Floyd,  former  proprietor  of  the  Briggs  House,  Chi 
cago,  and,  although  not  the  leading  house  of  the  town, 
was  very  much  liked,  as  it  was  well  conducted. 

From  the  meagre  reports  I  had  received  I  found  I  had 
to  cope  with  no  ordinary  man,  but  one  who  was  very 
popular,  while  I  was  a  poor  nameless  individual,  with  a 
profession  which  most  people  were  inclined  to  look  down 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  A*7D  THE  DETECTIVE.   25 

upon  with  contempt.  I  however  did  not  flinch  from  the 
undertaking,  but  wrote  to  Porter  to  do  all  he  could,  and 
at  the  same  time  wrote  to  the  General  Superintendent, 
suggesting  the  propriety  of  sending  another  man,  who 
should  keep  in  the  background  and  "  spot  "  Maroney  and 
his  wife,  or  their  friends,  so  that  if  any  one  of  them 
should  leave  town  he  could  follow  him,  leaving  Porter  in 
Montgomery,  to  keep  track  of  the  parties  there. 

There  were,  of  course,  a  number  of  suspicious  charac 
ters  in  a  town  of  the  size  of  Montgomery,  and  it  was 
necessary  to  keep  watch  of  many  of  them. 

Maroney  frequented  a  saloon  kept  by  a  man  whom 
I  will  call  Patterson.  Patterson's  saloon  was  the  fash 
ionable  drinking  resort  of  Montgomery,  and  was  fre 
quented  by  all  the  fast  men  in  town.  Although  out 
wardly  a  very  quiet,  respectable  place,  inwardly,  as 
Porter  found,  it  was  far  from  reputable.  Up  stairs  were 
private  rooms,  in  which  gentlemen  met  to  have  a  quiet 
game  of  poker;  while  down  stairs  could  be  found  the 
greenhorn,  just  ':  roped  in,"  and  being  swindled,  at 
three  card  nwntc.  There  were,  also,  rooms  where  the 
"young  bloods  "  of  the  town  — as  well  as  the  old — could 
meet  ladies  of  easy  virtue.  It  was  frequented  by  fast 
men  from  New  Orleans,  Mobile,  and  other  places,  who 
were  continually  arriving  and  departing. 

I  advised  the  General  Superintendent  that  it  would  be 
best  to  have  Porter  get  in  with  the  "bloods  "  of  the  town, 
make  himself  acquainted  with  any  ladies  Maroney  or  his 
wife  might  be  familiar  with,  and  adopt  generally  the  char 
acter  of  a  fast  man. 

As  soon   as  the  General  Superintendent  received  my 


26  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

letter  he  telegraphed  to  me  to  send  the  second  man,  and 
also  requested  me  to  meet  him,  at  a  certain  date,  in  New 
York. 

I  now  glanced  over  my  force  to  see  who  was  the  best 
person  to  select  for  a  "shadow."  Porter  had  been  pro 
moted  by  me  to  be  a  sort  of  "  roper." 

Most  people  may  suppose  that  nearly  any  one  can  per 
form  the  duties  of  a  "  shadow,"  and  that  it  is  the  easiest 
thing  in  the  world  to  follow  up  a  man  ;  but  such  is  not 
the  case.  A  "shadow"  has  a  most  difficult  position  to 
maintain.  It  will  not  do  to  follow  a  person  on  the  oppo 
site  side  of  the  street,  or  close  behind  him,  and  when  he 
stops  to  speak  to  a  friend  stop  also  ;  or  if  a  person  goes 
into  a  saloon,  or  store,  pop  in  after  him,  stand  staring  till 
he  goes  out,  and  then  follow  him  again.  Of  course  such 
a  "  shadow  "  would  be  detected  in  fifteen  minutes.  Such 
are  not  the  actions  of  the  real  "shadow,"  or,  at  least,  of 
the  "  shadow  "  furnished  by  my  establishment. 

I  had  just  the  man  for  the  place,  in  Mr.  Roch,  who 
could  follow  a  person  for  any  length  of  time,  and  never  be 
discovered. 

Having  settled  on  Roch  as  the  proper  man  for  the 
position,  I  summoned  him  to  my  private  office.  Roch 
was  a  German.  He  was  about  forty-five  years  old,  of 
spare  appearance  and  rather  sallow  or  tanned  complexion. 
His  nose  was  long,  thin  and  peaked,  eyes  clear  but  heavy 
looking,  and  hair  dark.  He  was  slightly  bald,  and  though 
he  stooped  a  little,  was  five  feet  ten  inches  in  height.  He 
had  been  in  my  employ  for  many  years,  and  I  knew  him 
thoroughly,  and  could  trust  him. 

I  informed  him  of  the  duties  he  was  to  perform,  and 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  7 'HE  DETECTIVE.     27 

gave  him  minute  instructions  how  he  was  to  act.  He  was 
to  keep  out  of  sight  as  much  as  possible  in  Montgomery. 
Porter  would  manage  to  see  him  on  his  arrival,  unknown 
to  any  one  there,  and  would  point  out  to  him  Maroney 
and  his  wife,  and  the  messenger,  Chase,  who  boarded  at 
the  Exchange  ;  also  Patterson,  the  saloon  keeper,  and  all 
suspected  parties.  He  was  not  to  make  himself  known 
to  Floyd,  of  the  Exchange,  or  to  McGibony,  the  local 
detective.  I  had  also  given  Porter  similar  instructions. 
I  suggested  to  him  the  propriety  of  lodging  at  some  low 
boarding  house  where  liquor  was  sold. 

He  was  to  keep  me  fully  posted  by  letter  of  the  move 
ments  of  all  suspected  parties,  and  if  any  of  them  left 
town  to  follow  them  and  immediately  inform  me  by 
telegraph  who  they  were  and  where  they  were  going,  so 
that  I  could  fill  his  place  in  Montgomery. 

Having  given  him  his  instructions.  I  selected  for  his 
disguise  a  German  dress.  This  I  readily  procured  from 
my  extensive  wardrobe,  which  I  keep  well  supplied  by 
frequent  attendance  at  sales  of  old  articles. 

When  he  had  rigged  himself  up  in  his  long  German 
coat,  his  German  cap  with  the  peak  behind,  and  a  most 
approved  pair  of  emigrant  boots,  he  presented  himself 
to  me  with  his  long  German  pipe  in  his  mouth,  and  I 
must  say  I  was  much  pleased  with  his  disguise,  in  which 
his  own  mother  would  not  have  recognized  him.  He  was 
as  fine  a  specimen  of  a  Dutchman  as  could  be  found. 

Having  thoroughly  impressed  on  his  mind  the  import 
ance  of  the  case  and  my  determination  to  win  the  esteem 
of  the  company  by  ferreting  out  the  thief,  if  possible,  I 


28  P/A'A'EK7'O.\''S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

started  him  for  Montgomery,  where  he  arrived  in  due 
time. 

At  the  date  agreed  upon  I  went  to  New  York  to  meet 
the  General  Superintendent.  I  had  never  met  the  gentle 
men  of  the  company  and  I  was  a  little  puzzled  how  to  act 
with  them. 

I  met  the  Vice-President  at  the  express  office,  in  such 
a  manner  that  none  of  the  employes  were  the  wiser  as  to 
my  profession  or  business,  and  he  made  an  appointment 
to  meet  me  at  the  Astor  House  in  the  afternoon.  At  the 
Astor  House  he  introduced  me  to  the  President,  the  Gen 
eral  Superintendent  of  the  company,  and  we  immediately 
proceeded  to  business. 

They  gave  me  all  the  particulars  of  the  case  they  could, 
though  they  were  not  much  fuller  than  those  I  had  already 
received  from  Porter's  reports.  They  reviewed  the  life 
of  Maroney,  as  already  related,  up  to  the  time  he  became 
their  agent,  stating  that  he  was  married,  although  his 
marriage  seemed  somewhat  "mixed." 

As  far  as  they  could  find  out,  Mrs.  Maroney  was  a 
widow,  with  one  daughter,  Flora  Irvin,  who  was  about 
seven  or  eight  years  old.  Mrs.  Maroney  was  from  a  very 
respectable  family,  now  living  in  Philadelphia  or  its  envi 
rons.  She  was  reported  to  have  run  away  from  home 
with  a  roue,  whose  acquaintance  she  had  formed,  but  who 
soon  deserted  her.  Afterwards  she  led  the  life  of  a  fast 
woman  at  Charleston,  New  Orleans,  Augusta,  Ga.,  and 
Mobile,  at  which  latter  place  she  met  Maroney,  and  was 
supposed  to  have  been  married  to  him. 

After  Maroney  was  appointed  agent  in  Montgomery  he 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.      29 

brought  her  with  him,  took  a  suite  of  rooms  at  the  Ex 
change,  and  introduced  her  as  his  wife. 

On  account  of  these  circumstances  the  General  Super 
intendent  did  not  wish  to  meet  her,  and,  when  in 
Montgomery,  always  took  rooms  at  another  hotel. 

The  Vice-President  said  he  had  nearly  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  Maroney  was  not  guilty  of  the  ten  thou 
sand  dollar  robbery ;  but  when  my  letter  reached  him, 
with  my  comments  on  the  robbery,  he  became  convinced 
that  he  was  the  guilty  party. 

He  was  strengthened  in  this  opinion  by  the  actions  of 
Maroney  while  on  his  Northern  tour,  and  by  the  fact  that 
immediately  on  his  return  the  fast  mare  "  Yankee  Mary  " 
made  her  appearance  in  Montgomery  and  that  Maroney 
backed  her  heavily.  It  was  not  known  that  he  was  her 
owner,  it  being  generally  reported  that  Patterson  and 
other  fast  men  were  her  proprietors. 

This  was  all  the  Vice-President  and  General  Superin 
tendent  had  been  able  to  discover  while  South,  and  they 
were  aware  that  I  had  very  little  ground  on  which  to 
work. 

I  listened  to  all  they  had  to  say  on  the  subject  and  took 
full  memoranda  of  the  facts.  I  then  stated  that  although 
Maroney  had  evidently  planned  and  carried  out  the  rob 
bery  with  such  consummate  ability  that  he  had  not  left 
the  slightest  clue  by  which  he  could  be  detected,  still,  if 
they  would  only  give  me  plenty  of  time,  I  would  bring 
the  robbery  home  to  him. 

I  maintained,  as  a  cardinal  principle,  that  it  is  impos 
sible  for  the  human  mind  to  retain  a  secret.  All  history 
proves  that  no  one  can  hug  a  secret  to  his  breast  and  live. 


30  PIXKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

Everyone  must  have  a  vent  for  his  feelings.  It  is  impos 
sible  to  keep  them  always  penned  up. 

This  is  especially  noticeable  in  persons  who  have  com 
mitted  criminal  acts.  They  always  find  it  necessary  to 
select  some  one  in  whom  they  can  confide  and  to  whom 
they  can  unburden  themselves. 

We  often  find  that  persons  who  have  committed  grave 
offenses  will  fly  to  the  moors,  or  to  the  prairies,  or  to  the 
vast  solitudes  of  almost  impenetrable  forests,  and  there 
give  vent  to  their  feelings.  I  instanced  the  case  of 
Eugene  Aram,  who  took  up  his  abode  on  the  bleak  and 
solitary  moor,  and,  removed  from  the  society  of  his  fellow- 
men,  tried  to  maintain  his  secret  by  devoting  himself  to 
astronomical  observations  and  musings  with  nature,  but 
who,  nevertheless,  felt  compelled  to  relieve  his  overbur 
dened  mind  by  muttering  to  himself  details  of  the  mur 
der  while  taking  his  long  and  dreary  walks  on  the  moor. 

If  Maroney  had  committed  the  robbery  and  no  one 
knew  it  but  himself,  I  would  demonstrate  the  truth  of  my 
theory  by  proving  that  he  would  eventually  seek  some 
one  in  whom  he  thought  he  could  confide  and  to  whom 
he  would  entrust  the  secret. 

My  plan  was  to  supply  him  with  a  confidant.  It  would 
take  time  to  execute  such  a  plan,  but  if  they  would  have 
patience  all  would  be  well.  I  would  go  to  Montgomery 
and  become  familiar  with  the  town.  I  was  unknown 
there  and  should  remain  so,  only  taking  a  letter  to  their 
legal  advisers,  Watts,  Judd  &  Jackson,  whom  I  supposed 
would  cheerfully  give  me  all  the  information  in  their 
power.  I  also  informed  them  that  it  would  be  necessary 
to  detail  more  detectives  to  work  up  the  case. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.     31 

I  found  the  officers  of  the  company  genial,  pleasant 
men,  possessed  of  great  executive  ability  and  untiring 
energy,  and  felt  that  my  duties  would  be  doubly  agreeable 
by  being  in  the  interests  of  such  men. 

They  ended  the  interview  by  authorizing  me  to  employ 
what  men  I  thought  proper;  stating  that  they  had  full 
confidence  in  me,  and  that  they  thought  I  would  be 
enabled  to  unearth  the  guilty  parties  ere  long.  They 
further  authorized  me  to  use  my  own  judgment  in  all 
things ;  but  expected  me  to  keep  them  fully  informed  of 
what  was  going  on. 

I  started  for  Montgomery  the  same  day,  but  was  as 
unfortunate  in  meeting  with  delay  as  were  my  detectives. 
The  rivers  were  filled  with  floating  ice  and  I  was  ice 
bound  in  the  Potomac  for  over  thirty  hours.  I  was  obliged 
to  go  back  to  Alexandria,  where  I  took  the  train  and  pro 
ceeded,  via  West  Point  and  Atlanta,  to  Montgomery.  On 
the  journey  I  amused  myself  reading  Martin  Chuzzlewit, 
which  I  took  good  care  to  throw  away  on  the  road,  as  its 
cuts  at  slavery  made  it  unpopular  in  the  South.  At  the 
various  stations  planters  got  aboard,  sometimes  conveying 
their  slaves  from  point  to  point,  sometimes  travelling  with 
their  families  to  neighboring  cities.  I  did  not  converse 
with  them,  as  I  was  not  sure  of  my  ability  to  refrain  from 
divulging  my  abolition  sentiments.  On  my  arrival  in 
Montgomery  I  took  up  my  quarters  at  the  Exchange  and 
impressed  upon  Mr.  Floyd  the  necessity  of  keeping  my 
presence  a  secret.  He  had  no  idea  that  I  was  after 
Maroney,  but  supposed  I  was  merely  on  a  visit  to  the 
South. 

I  took  no  notice  of  Maroney,  but  managed  to  see  Porter 


32  PINKERTOX'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

and  Roch  privately.  They  informed  me  that  they  had  dis 
covered  little  or  nothing.  M aroney  kept  everything  to  him 
self.  He  and  his  wife  went  out  occasionally.  He  frequented 
Patterson's,  sometimes  going  into  the  card  rooms,  drove 
out  with  a  fast  horse,  and  passed  many  hours  in  his 
counsel's  office.  This  was  all  Porter  kne\v. 

Roch  was  to  do  nothing  but  "  spot  "  the  suspected  par 
ties  and  follow  any  one  of  them  who  might  leave  town. 
He  was  to  be  a  Dutchman,  and  he  acted  the  character  to 
perfection.  He  could  be  seen  sitting  outside  of  hi.; 
boarding-house  with  his  pipe  in  his  mouth,  and  he  ap 
parently  did  nothing  but  puff,  puff,  puff  all  day  long. 
There  was  a  saloon  in  town  where  lager  was  sold  and  he 
could,  occasionally,  be  found  here  sipping  his  lager;  but 
although  apparently  a  stupid,  phlegmatic  man,  taking  no 
notice  of  what  was  going  on  around  him,  he  drank  in, 
with  his  lager,  every  word  that  was  said. 

I  found  that  Mrs.  Maroney  was  a  very  smart  woman, 
indeed,  and  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  keep  a  strict 
watch  over  her.  I  therefore  informed  the  Vice-President 
that  I  would  send  doun  another  detective  especially  to 
shadow  her,  as  she  might  leave  at  any  moment  for  the 
North  and  take  the  forty  thousand  dollars  with  her. 

I  had  no  objections  to  her  taking  the  money  to  the 
North.  On  the  contrary,  I  preferred  she  should  do  so,  as 
I  would  much  rather  carry  on  the  fight  on  Northern  soil 
than  in  the  South. 

I  found  Messrs.  Watts,  Judd  &  Jackson,  the  company's 
lawyers,  were  excellent  men,  clear-headed  and  accom 
modating.  They  gladly  furnished  me  with  what  little 
information  they  possessed. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

BEFORE  I  left  Montgomery  on  my  return  to  the 
North,  I  became  acquainted  with  the  local  detect 
ive,  McGibony,  without  letting  him  know  who  I  was.  In 
accordance  with  a  plan  which  I  always  carry  out,  of 
watching  the  actions  of  those  around  me,  I  kept  my  eye 
on  him,  and  found  that  he  was  quite  "  thick "  with 
Maroney.  He  boarded  at  the  Exchange,  drank  with 
Maroney  in  saloons,  and  even  passed  with  him  into  the 
card-room  at  Patterson's. 

At  this  time  McGibony  had  in  his  charge  a  distin 
guished  prisoner,  being  no  less  a  personage  than  the  old 
planter  whom  Johnson  H.  Hooper  so  graphically  des 
cribed  as  "  Simon  Suggs  ;"  by  which  name  I  will  continue 
to  call  him. 

Suggs  had  been  arrested  for  the  commission  of  a  series 
of  misdemeanors,  but,  as  he  was  a  great  favorite,  he  was 
allowed  the  freedom  of  the  city,  and  was  joyfully  wel 
comed  at  the  hotels  and  saloons. 

Simon  was  about  fifty-six  years  old,  the  dryest  kind  of 
a  wit,  and  extremely  fond  of  his  bitters.  He  lived  about 
forty  miles  out  from  Montgomery,  on  the  Coosa  river,  but 
about  a  week  prior  to  the  time  I  saw  him,  had  come  to 
Montgomery  to  see  his  friends.  Simon's  morality  was 
not  of  the  highest  order,  and  the  first  place  he  visited 
was  Patterson's  saloon.  Here  he  met  a  few  congenial 
3 


34  PINKER  TON'S  DETECTIVE  S  TOR  IE  S. 

spirits,  took  several  drinks  with  them,  and  then,  being 
"flush," — a  very  unusual  thing  for  him  —  he -proceeded 
to  "buck  the  tiger."  Like  too  many  others,  he  bucked 
too  long,  and  soon  found  himself  penniless.  Not  to  be 
outdone,  however,  he  rushed  out  and  borrowed  one  hun 
dred  dollars  from  a  friend,  promising  to  return  it  the  first 
thing  in  the  morning.  With  this  money  he  returned  to 
the  unequal  contest,  but  before  long  was  again  strapped. 

In  the  morning,  as  he  was  walking  along  the  street,  in 
a  very  penitential  mood,  he  was  accosted  by  his  friend, 
who  demanded  of  him  the  one  hundred  dollars  he  had 
borrowed.  Simon  put  on  a  very  important  air,  and  in  a 
tone  of  confidence  which  he  was  far  from  feeling,  assured 
him  he  should  have  the  money  before  he  left  town. 

As  Simon  strolled  along,  puzzling  his  brain  as  to  how 
he  could  raise  the  necessary  funds  to  pay  off  his  friend, 
he  saw  the  tall,  ungainly  form  of  a  backwoods  planter 
shuffling  down  the  street  towards  him. 

The  planter  was  dressed  in  a  suit  of  butternut,  which 
had  become  very  much  shrunken,  from  exposure  to  all 
kinds  of  weather.  His  coat  sleeves  did  not  reach  far 
below  his  elbows,  and  there  was  a  considerable  space 
between  the  bottom  of  his  breeches  and  the  top  of  his 
shoes.  He  was  as  "thin  as  a  rail,"  and  if  he  stood 
upright  would  have  been  very  tall,  but  he  was  bent  nearly 
double.  He  had  a  slouched  hat  on,  which  partly  con 
cealed  his  long,  lantern-jawed  visage,  while  his  shaggy, 
uncombed  hair  fell  to  his  shoulders,  and  gave  one  a  feel 
ing  that  it  contained  many  an  inhabitant,  like  that  which 
caused  Burns  to  write  those  famous  lines  containing  the 
passage  : 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.     35 

"  Oh,  wad  some  power  the  giftie  gie  us, 
To  see  our  sets  as  it  hers  see  us  ! " 

As  he  came  down  the  street  he  stopped  occasionally 
and  gawked  around. 

Simon  was  always  ready  for  fun,  and  determined  to  see 
what  the  planter  was  up  to.  Accordingly,  as  they  met, 
Simon  said,  "  Good  mornin'!" 

"  Good  mornin' !  "  replied  the  gawky. 

"  Have  yer  lost  summat?  "  asked  Simon. 

"  Wai,  no,  stranger,  but  I  wants  to  git  some  money 
changed,  and  I  '11  be  durned  if  I  can  diskiver  a  bank  in 
this  yar  village." 

"  Bin  sellin'  niggers,  eh  ?  " 

"You're  out  thar,"  replied  the  planter.  "I've  bin 
sellin'  cotton." 

"I'm  jist  the  man  to  help  yer!  I'm  gwine  to  my 
bank.  Gin  me  yer  money,  and  come  along  with  me  and 
I  '11  change  it  for  yer  !  " 

The  gawky  was  much  pleased  at  Simon's  kind  atten 
tion,  and  remarking  that  "  he  reckoned  he  was  the 
squarest  man  he  had  met,"  he  turned  over  his  money  — 
some  four  hundred  dollars  —  to  Simon,  and  they  started 
off  together  to  get  it  changed. 

On  the  road  Simon  stepped  into  a  saloon  with  the 
planter,  called  up  all  the  inmates  to  take  a  drink,  and 
telling  the  planter  he  would  be  back  with  the  money  in  a 
few  minutes,  started  off. 

Fifteen  minutes  passed  away.  The  planter  took  sev 
eral  drinks,  and  began  to  think  his  friend  was  a  long 
time  in  getting  the  money  changed,  but  supposed  he 
must  be  detained  at  the  bank.  At  the  end  of  half  an 


36  PIXKRR TON ' .V  DK  TECTI VE  STORIES. 

hour  he  began  to  grow  decidedly  uneasy,  but  still  Simon 
did  not  come.  At  the  expiration  of  an  hour  he  was 
furious,  and  if  Simon  had  fallen  into  his  hands  at  that 
time,  he  would  have  doubtless  been  made  mince  meat  of 
unceremoniously. 

Simon,  on  leaving  the  saloon,  had  gone  to  his  friend 
and,  out  of  the  poor  planter's  funds,  had  paid  him  the 
hundred  dollars  he  owed  him,  and,  with  the  three  hun 
dred  dollars  in  his  pocket,  started  for  Patterson's. 

He  proceeded  to  ''  buck  the  tiger,"  and  soon  lost  nearly 
all  of  it.  To  see  if  his  luck  would  not  change,  he  gave 
up  the  game,  and  started  at  "  roulette."  Here  he  steadily 
won,  and  soon  had  over  seven  hundred  dollars  in  his 
possession.  He  was  now  all  excitement,  and  jumped 
with  many  a  "  whoop-la  "  around  the  table,  to  the  great 
amusement  of  the  spectators.  He  was  about  to  give  up 
play,  but  they  urged  him  on,  saying  he  had  a  run  of  luck, 
and  should  not  give  up  till  he  broke  the  bank.  Thus  en 
couraged,  he  played  for  heavy  stakes,  and  was  soon  com 
pletely  "  cleaned  out,"  and  left  Patterson's  without  a  cent. 

He  went  to  a  friend  and  borrowed  twenty-five  dollars 
to  help  him  out  of  town.  He  was  considered  good  for  a 
small  short  loan ;  and  going  to  his  hotel,  he  paid  his  bill, 
and  mounting  his  dilapidated  steed,  started  for  his  home, 
forty  miles  distant,  at  as  great  a  speed  as  he  could  get 
out  of  his  poor  "Rosinante."  In  the  South,  men,  women 
and  children,  always  make  short  journeys  on  horseback. 
Simon  travelled  for  two  hours,  when  he  reached  the  Coosa 
river,  about  fifteen  miles  from  Montgomery.  At  this 
point  lived  a  wealthy  widow,  with  whom  he  was  well 
acquainted,  and  here  he  determined  to  pass  the  night. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.      37 

He  was  joyfully  welcomed  by  the  widow,  who  ordered 
one  of  her  negroes  to  put  up  his  horse  and  conducted 
him  into  the  house.-  She  had  a  good  supper  prepared, 
Simon  ate  a  hearty  meal,  spent  a  few  delightful  hours  in 
the  widow's  company,  and  was  then  shown  to  his  room. 
He  was  soon  in  the  arms  of  Morpheus,  and  arose  in  the 
morning  as  gay  as  a  lark.  Throwing  open  the  casement, 
he  let  in  the  fresh  morning  breeze  and  took  in  at  a  glance 
the  rich  Southern  landscape.  Immediately  below  him, 
and  sloping  in  well  kept  terraces  to  the  banks  of  the 
Coosa,  was  a  trim  garden,  filled  with  flowers,  among 
which,  in  fine  bloom,  were  numerous  varieties  of  the 
rose.  The  sluggish  waters  of  the  Coosa  flowed  without 
a  ripple  between  its  well  wooded  banks,  the  trees  on 
opposite  sides  often  interlocking  their  branches.  Beyond 
the  river  was  a  wilderness  of  forest ;  the  slaves  were 
going  to  their  labor  in  the  cotton  fields,  singing  and 
chatting  gaily  like  a  party  of  children.  It  was  indeed  a 
beautiful  scene,  and  who  could  more  thoroughly  appreci 
ate  the  beautiful  than  Simon?  Hurriedly  dressing  him 
self,  he  went  to  the  breakfast  room,  where  he  found 
waiting  for  him  the  buxom  widow,  dressed  in  a  loose 
morning  robe,  admirably  adapted  to  display  the  charms 
of  her  figure. 

After  a  delicious  repast  of  coffee  and  fruit  the  widow 
proposed  that  as  it  was  such  a  lovely  morning  they  take 
a  boat-ride  on  the  river.  Simon  willingly  acquiesced, 
and  the  widow,  after  ordering  a  well  filled  lunch-basket 
to  be  placed  in  the  boat,  not  forgetting  a  "little  brown 
jug"  for  Simon,  took  his  arm,  and  tripping  gaily  down  to 
the  river,  embarked.  Simon  pulled  strongly  at  the  oars 


38  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

until  a  bend  of  the  river  hid  them  from  view  of  the 
plantation,  when,  taking  in  the  oars,  he  seated  himself  by 
the  widow,  and  placing  an  oar  at  the  stern  to  steer  with, 
they  glided  down  the  river.  Simon  was  married,  but  was 
a  firm  believer  in  the  theory  advanced  by  Moore,  that 

— "  when  far  from  the  lips  we  love, 
We've  but  to  make  love  to  the  lips  we  are  near." 

The  persimmons  hung  in  tempting  bunches  within  easy 
reach  overhead,  and  Simon  would  pull  them  down  and 
shower  them  into  the  widow's  lap.  Occasionally  he 
would  steal  his  arm  around  her  waist,  when  she,  with  a 
coy  laugh,  would  pronounce  him  an  "impudent  fellow." 
Occasionally  he  would  raise  the  little  brown  jug  and  take 
a  hearty  pull ;  finally  he  stole  a  few  kisses,  the  widow 
dropped  her  head  resignedly  on  his  shoulder,  and  so  they 
floated  down  the  current,  loving  "  not  wisely,  but  too  well." 
On  and  on  they  floated,  entirely  oblivious  of  time,  when 
they  were  suddenly  startled  by  a  wild  halloo.  The  widow 
started  up  with  a  scream,  and  Simon  grasped  the  oars  as 
soon  as  possible.  Just  in  front  of  them,  seated  on  his 
horse,  and  with  his  revolver  ready  cocked  in  his  hand, 
sat  the  deputy  sheriff  of  Montgomery.  "Simon  Suggs," 
said  he,  "jist  you  git  out  of  that  thar  boat  and  come 
along  with  me;  I've  got  a  warrant  for  your  arrest !" 

"Oh!  hav  yer?"  said  Simon,  "that's  all  right;  I'll  jist 
take  this  yar  lady  hum,  git  my  critter,  and  come  in  to 
Montgomery." 

"  No,"  said  the  inexorable  deputy,  "  that  won't  do,  jist 
you  git  out  of  that  thar  boat  and  come  with  me." 

The  widow  now  interposed,  and  in  plaintive  tone  said, 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.      39 

"  But,  sir,  what  am  I  to  do  ?  It  will  never  do  for  me  to 
return  without  Mr.  Suggs  ;  what  will  my  niggers  think  of 
it?  You,  Mr.  Deputy,  can  get  into  the  boat  with  us  and 
go  to  my  house ;  while  you  are  eating  dinner  I  will  send 
one  of  my  niggers  to  fetch  your  horse." 

The  deputy  was  finally  persuaded  to  take  this  course, 
and  securing  his  horse,  he  got  into  the  boat. 

It  will  now  be  necessary  to  relate  how  the  deputy  hap 
pened  to  appear  at  such  an  inopportune  moment  for 
Simon.  The  planter,  after  awaiting  the  return  of  Simon 
for  over  two  hours,  was  informed  by  the  saloon  keeper  to 
whom  he  appealed,  that  he  had  entrusted  his  money  to 
Simon  Suggs,  and  that  his  chances  of  ever  seeing  it  again 
were  poor  indeed.  On  discovering  this  he  swore  out  a 
warrant  against  Simon  and  placed  it  in  the  hands  of  the 
sheriff  to  execute. 

The  Sheriff  found  that  Simon  had  left  town,  and  imme 
diately  his  deputy,  mounted  on  a  fast  horse,  started  in 
pursuit.  The  deputy  passed  Simon  at  the  widow's,  and 
went  directly  to  his  house.  He  found  Mrs.  Suggs  at 
home,  and  demanded  of  her  the  whereabouts  of  Simon. 
Mrs.  Suggs  said  she  did  not  pretend  to  keep  track  of 
him  ;  that  he  was  a  lazy,  shiftless  fellow,  who  never  sup 
ported  his  family ;  that  about  a  week  previously  he  had 
left  home,  and  she  had  not  set  her  eyes  on  him  since. 

The  deputy  informed  her  that  Simon  had  committed  a 
grave  offense,  and  that  he  had  a  warrant  for  his  arrest. 

Mrs.  Suggs  ended  the  interview  by  saying  she  always 
thought  Simon  would  come  to  a  bad  end,  and  slammed 
the  door  in  the  deputy's  face. 

The  Deputy  Sheriff  passed  the  night  at  a  friend's,  and 


40  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

the  next  morning  retraced  his  steps,  making  inquiries 
along  the  road  at  the  different  plantations,  endeavoring  to 
get  some  trace  of  Simon.  When  he  reached  the  widow's 
he  was  told  by  a  slave  that  "  Massa  Simon  "  and  the 
"  Missus  "  had  shortly  before  gone  down  the  river  for  a 
boat  ride,  and  taking  a  short  cut  through  the  fields  he 
headed  them  off. 

The  return  journey  was  against  the  current,  and  Simon 
was  pulling  away  at  the  oars,  the  perspiration  starting 
in  large  drops  from  his  forehead  and  running  down  into 
his  eyes,  or  streaking  his  cheeks,  while  the  deputy  was 
gaily  entertaining  the  widow,  who  was  about  equally 
divided  in  her  attentions.  As  they  proceeded  Simon 
would  say,  "  A  very  deep  place  here  ;  "  "  bar  here ;  " 
"push  her  off  a  little  from  that  snag,"  etc.,  and  the  deputy 
would  occasionally  supply  the  widow  with  persimmons. 
While  in  the  deepest  part  of  the  stream  the  widow  dis 
covered  a  splendid  bunch  of  persimmons  hanging  from  a 
bough  which  reached  to  the  centre  of  the  river.  She 
declared  she  must  have  them.  Simon  rested  on  his  oars, 
while  the  gallant  deputy  got  on  the  seat,  and  by  raising 
himself  on  his  tip  toes,  just  managed  to  reach  the  bough, 
a  good  strong  one,  and,  grasping  it  with  both  hands,  he 
proceeded  to  bend  it  down  so  as  to  reach  the  fruit.  At 
this  inopportune  moment  Simon  gave  way  to  his  oars, 
and  left  the  poor  deputy  hanging  in  the  air. 

"  Hold  on  !  hold  on  !  "  yelled  the  deputy  ;  "  don't  you 
know  you  are  interfering  with  an  officer  of  the  law?  " 

"My  advice  ter  you  is  to  hold  on  yourself,"  was  all  the 
consolation  he  got  from  Simon,  while  the  widow  was 
convulsed  with  laughter. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.     41 

Leaving  the  deputy  to  extricate  himself  from  his  awk 
ward  position  as  best  he  could,  Simon  rowed  rapidly  to 
tne  house,  sent  a  negro  to  bring  the  deputy's  horse,  and 
after  eating  an  enormous  lunch,  mounted  and  started  for 
home. 

The  deputy  hung  to  the  limb  and  yelled  for  assistance, 
but  no  one  came,  and  he  found  he  could  hold  on  no 
longer.  He  could  not  swim,  and  he  felt  that  in  dropping 
from  the  limb  he  would  certainly  meet  a  watery  grave. 
All  his  life  he  had  had  a  horror  of  water,  and  now  to  be 
drowned  in  the  hated  liquid  was  too  hard.  He  made 
desperate  efforts  to  climb  up,  on  the  limb,  but  could  not 
do  it.  His  arms  were  so  strained  that  he  thought  they 
would  be  pulled  from  their  sockets.  He  had  strung  many 
a  negro  up  by  the  thumbs  to  thrash  him,  but  he  little 
thought  he  should  have  been  strung  up  himself.  His 
strength  rapidly  failed  him,  and  he  found  he  could  main 
tain  his  hold  no  longer.  Closing  his  eyes,  he  strove  to 
pray,  but  could  not.  Finding  the  effort  useless,  he  let  go 
his  hold,  while  a  cold  shudder  ran  through  his  body  — 
what  a  moment  of  supreme  agony!— and  dropped  into 
the  river.  Over  such  harrowing  scenes  it  were  better  to 
throw  a  veil  of  silence,  but  I  must  go  on.  He  dropped 
into  the  river,  and  as  the  water  was  only  knee  deep,  he 
waded  to  the  bank. 

His  combined  emotions  overcame  him,  and  on  reach 
ing  the  bank  he  threw  himself  down  under  the  shade  of 
some  trees  and,  completely  exhausted,  sunk  into  a  deep 
sleep.  How  long  he  slept  he  could  not  tell,  but  on  awak 
ing  he  sprang  up  and  hurried  to  the  place  where  he  had 
left  his  horse.  Finding  it  gone,  he  walked  into  Mont- 


42  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

gomery  and  reported  to  the  Sheriff,  not  daring  to  face  the 
widow  after  the  ridiculous  tableau  in  which  he  had  been 
the  principal  performer. 

The  Sheriff  procured  the  services  of  McGibony,  and 
the  next  day  went  with  him  to  Simon's  home,  and 
arrested  him  without  difficulty. 

In  the  North,  Simon  would  have  been  kept  a  close  pris 
oner;  but  the  fun-loving  inhabitants  of  Montgomery 
looked  on  the  whole  transaction  as  a  very  good  joke,  and 
Simon  was  decidedly  "  in  clover,"  having  liberty  to  go 
where  he  wished,  and  being  maintained  at  the  county's 
expense. 

I  judged  from  the  circumstances  that  McGibony  was 
not  to  be  trusted,  and  concluded  that  authorities  who 
could  execute  the  law  so  leniently,  would  be  poor  custo 
dians  for  a  prisoner  of  Maroney's  stamp. 

On  my  return  trip  to  Chicago  I  stopped  over  at  Rome, 
Ga.,  where  Maroney's  father  lived.  I  discovered  that  the 
doctor  lived  well,  although  he  was  a  man  of  small  means. 
I  took  a  general  survey  of  the  town,  and  then  went 
directly  to  Chicago. 


CHAPTER   V. 

ON  arriving  in  Chicago  I  selected  Mr.  Green  to 
"  shadow  "  Mrs.  Maroney.  Giving  him  the  same 
full  instructions  I  had  given  the  other  operatives,  I  des 
patched  him  for  Montgomery.  He  arrived  there  none 
too  soon. 

Mrs.  Maroney  had  grown  rather  commanding  in  her 
manners,  and  was  very  arrogant  with  the  servants  in  the 
house.  She  also  found  great  fault  with  the  proprietor, 
Mr.  Floyd,  for  not  having  some  necessary  repairs  in  her 
room  attended  to. 

One  of  the  lady  boarders,  the  wife  of  a  senator,  treated 
her  with  marked  coolness ;  and  these  various  circum 
stances  so  worked  on  her  high-strung  temperament  that 
she  was  thrown  into  an  uncontrollable  fit  of  passion, 
during  which  she  broke  the  windows  in  her  room. 

The  landlord  insisted  on  her  paying  for  them,  but  she 
indignantly  refused  to  do  so.  On  his  pressing  the  mat 
ter,  she  determined  to  leave  the  house  and  make  a  trip  to 
the  North. 

Porter  had  become  quite  intimate  with  the  slave-servants 
in  the  Exchange,  and  easily  managed  to  get  from  them 
considerable  information,  without  attracting  any  special 
attention. 

One  of  the  servants,  named  Tom,  was  the  bootblack 
of  the  hotel.  He  had  a  young  negro  under  him  as  a  sort 


44  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

of  an  apprentice.  The  duties  of  the  apprentice,  though 
apparently  slight,  were  in  reality  arduous,  as  he  had  to 
supply  all  the  spittle  required  to  moisten  the  blacking; 
and  for  this  purpose  placed  himself  under  a  course  of 
diet  that  rendered  him  as  juicy  as  possible. 

Early  in  the  morning  Tom  and  his  assistant  would  pass 
from  door  to  door.  Stopping  wherever  they  saw  a  pair  of 
boots,  they  would  at  once  proceed  to  business.  The 
helper  would  seize  a  boot  and  give  a  tremendous  "  hawk," 
which  would  cause  the  sleeping  inmate  of  the  room  to 
start  up  in  his  bed  and  rub  his  eyes.  He  would  then 
apply  the  blacking  and  hand  the  boot  to  Tom,  who  stood 
ready  to  artistically  apply  the  polishing  brush.  During 
the  whole  of  this  latter  operation  the  little  negro  would 
dance  a  breakdown,  while  Tom,  seated  on  the  chair 
brought  for  his  accommodation,  would  whistle  or  sing  an 
accompaniament.  By  this  time  the  inmate  of  the  room 
would  have  sprung  from  his  bed,  and  rushed  to  the  door, 
with  the  intention  of  breaking  their  heads  —  not  shins  — 
but,  on  opening  the  door,  the  scene  presented  would  be 
so  ludicrous  that  his  anger  would  be  smothered  in 
laughter,  and  Tom  generally  received  a  quarter,  as  he 
started  for  the  next  door. 

Sleep  was  completely  vanquished  by  the  time  they  had 
made  their  rounds,  and  the  greatest  sluggard  who  ever 
reiterated  "God  bless  the  man  who  first  invented  sleep," 
would  find  himself  drawn  from  his  downy  pillow  at  break 
of  day,  with  never  a  murmur. 

Tom  was  naturally  of  an  enquiring  turn  of  mind,  and 
as  he  passed  from  door  to  door  saw  and  heard  a  good 
deal.  Porter,  by  giving  him  an  occasional  fee,  had  made 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.      45 

Tom  his  fast  friend,  and  he  would  often  regale  him  with 
bits  of  scandal  about  different  boarders  in  the  house. 

On  the  evening  of  ihe  same  day  that  Mrs.  Maroney 
had  given  way  to  her  temper,  as  Porter  was  passing 
through  the  hall  of  the  hotel,  he  heard  peals  of  laughter 
emanating  from  the  room  used  by  Tom  as  his  blacking 
headquarters.  Going  in,  he  found  Tom,  perfectly  con 
vulsed  with  laughter,  rolling  around  amongst  the  blacking 
brushes  and  old  shoes,  while  the  little  negro,  with  his 
mouth  wide  open  and  eyes  starting  almost  out  of  his 
head,  looked  at  him  in  utter  astonishment. 

"  Why  !   what's  the  matter,  Tom  ?  "  inquired  Porter. 

It  was  some  time  before  Tom  could  answer,  but  he 
finally  burst  out  with  : 

"  Oh  !  golly,  Massa  Porter,  you  ought  to  see  de  fun. 
Missus  'Roney  done  gone  and  smashed  all  de  glass  in  de 
winder.  I  tell  you  she  made  tings  hot.  Massa  Floyd 
say  she  must  pay  for  de  glass,  and  she  tole  him  she's  not 
gwine  to  stop  in  dis  yer  house  a  moment  longer.  Yah  ! 
yah  !  yah  !  Den  Massa  'Roney  come,  and  he  fly  right 
off  de  handle,  and  tole  Massa  Floyd  he  had  consulted  his 
wife.  Massa  Floyd  tole  dem  dey  could  go  somewhere 
else  fur  all  he  care.  Massa  'Roney  tole  de  missus  to 
pack  up  and  go  to  de  North,  de  fust  ting  in  de  morning. 
So  Missus  'Roney  is  gwine  to  go  North.  Wonder  what 
she  '11  do  thar,  wid  no  niggers  to  confusticate  ?  Yah  ! 
yah  !  yah !  " 

Porter  drew  from  the  darkey  full  particulars  of  the 
affair,  and  also  that  he  had  seen  Maroney  pass  a  large 
sum  of  money  over  to  his  wife. 

Giving  Tom  a  quarter,  Porter  hurried  off  after  Green, 


46  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

and  got  him  ready  to  start  the  first  thing  in  the  morning. 
Bright  and  early  on  the  twelfth  of  March,  Porter  arose, 
and,  quite  accidentally,  ran  across  Tom,  who  had  just 
come  down  with  Mrs.  Maroney's  shoes. 

"  She  is  gwine,  sure,"  said  Tom  !  "  she  tole  me  to  hurry 
up  wid  dese  shoes.  Her  and  Massa  'Roney  am  habin  a 
big  confab,  but  dey  talk  so  low,  dis  nigger  can't  hear  a 
word  dey  say." 

Porter  hurried  Green  to  the  train,  and  came  back  in 
time  to  see  Maroney  get  into  a  carriage,  with  his  wife  and 
her  daughter  Flora,  and  drive  off  toward  the  station.  Ma 
roney  secured  for  them  a  comfortable  seat  in  the  ladies' 
car,  and,  bidding  them  good-bye,  returned  to  the  hotel. 

Of  course  Green  was  on  the  same  train,  but,  as  I  had 
instructed  him,  not  in  the  same  car.  He  took  a  seat  in 
the  rear  end  of  the  car  immediately  in  front  of  the  ladies' 
car,  whence  he  could  keep  a  sharp  lookout  on  all  that 
went  on. 

Mrs.  Maroney  went  directly  to  West  Point,  and  from 
there  to  Charleston,  where  she  put  up  at  the  best  hotel, 
registering  "Mrs.  Maroney  and  daughter." 

The  next  day,  leaving  Flora  in  the  hotel,  she  made  a  few 
calls,  and  at  two  p.  M.  embarked  on  the  steamer  for  New 
York,  Green  doing  the  same.  They  arrived  at  New  York 
on  the  eighteenth  and  were  met  at  the  wharf  by  a  gentle 
man  named  Moore,  who  conducted  Mrs.  Maroney  and 
Flora  to  his  residence.  Green  discovered  afterwards  that 
the  gentleman  was  a  partner  in  one  of  the  heaviest  whole 
sale  clothing-houses  in  the  city. 

He  knew  nothing  further  about  Mr.  or  Mrs.  Maroney 
than  that  Maroney  had  treated  him  with  a  good  deal  of 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.      47 

consideration  at  one  time  when  he  was  in  Montgomery 
selling  goods,  and  he  had  then  requested  Maroney  and 
his  wife  to  stop  at  his  house  if  they  ever  came  to  New 
York.  Accordingly  Maroney  telegraphed  to  him  when 
his  wife  left  Montgomery,  informing  him  how  and  when 
she  would  reach  New  York,  and  he  was  at  the  wharf  to 
meet  her. 

Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora  were  cordially  welcomed  by 
Mr.  Moore  and  remained  at  his  house  for  some  weeks. 
They  were  very  hospitably  entertained  and  seemed  to 
devote  their  whole  time  to  social  pleasures.  Green 
shadowed  them  closely  and  found  that  nothing  of  any 
importance  was  going  on. 

Porter  remained  in  Montgomery,  keeping  in  the  good 
graces  of  Maroney  and  his  friends,  not  that  Maroney 
easily  took  any  one  into  his  confidence  ;  on  the  contrary, 
although  he  was  social  with  every  one,  he  kept  his  affairs 
closely  to  himself. 

Porter  never  forced  himself  on  Maroney's  company, 
but  merely  dropped  in,  apparently  by  'accident,  at  Patter 
son's  and  other  saloons  frequented  by  Maroney,  and  by 
holding  himself  rather  aloof,  managed  to  draw  Maroney 
towards  him. 

Maroney  used  to  walk  out  of  town  towards  the  planta 
tions,  and  Porter,  by  making  himself  acquainted  with  the 
planters  and  overseers  of  the  surrounding  country,  dis 
covered  that  Maroney's  walks  were  caused  by  a  young 
lady,  the  daughter  of  a  wealthy  planter ;  but  no  new 
developments  were  made  in  regard  to  the  robbery. 

I  instructed  Porter  to  "  get  in  "  with  any  slaves  who  might 
be  employed  as  waiters  at  Patterson's,  and  worm  from 


48  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

them  all  the  information  possible  in  regard  to  the  habitues 
of  the  place. 

There  were  several  men  with  whom  Maroney  used  to 
have  private  meetings  at  the  saloon,  and  Porter  learned 
from  one  of  the  negroes  what  took  place  at  them.  Ma 
roney  would  take  an  occasional  hand  at  euchre,  but  never 
played  for  large  stakes.  There  was  little  doubt  but  that 
he  had  a  share  in  the  gambling  bank.  He  frequented 
the  stable  where  "  Yankee  Mary "  was  kept,  and  often 
himself  drove  her  out.  From  the  way  the  parties  at 
Patterson's  talked,  the  negro  was  positive  that  she  belonged 
to  Maroney. 

He  received  several  letters  from  his  wife,  which  Green 
saw  her  post,  and  Porter  found  he  received  in  due  time. 
So  far  all  my  plans  had  worked  well.  The  regular  reports 
I  received  from  my  detectives  showed  that  they  were 
doing  their  duty  and  watching  carefully  all  that  occurred. 
Porter,  about  this  time,  learned  that  Maroney  intended  to 
make  a  business  trip  through  Tennessee,  and  that  he 
would,  in  all  probability,  go  to  Augusta,  Ga.,  and  New 
Orleans. 

Everything  tended  to  show  that  he  was  about  to  leave 
Montgomery. and  I  put  Roch,  my  Dutchman,  on  the  alert. 
I  wrote  out  full  instructions  and  sent  them  to  Roch; 
ordered  him  to  keep  a  strict  watch  on  Maroney,  as  he 
might  be  going  away  to  change  the  money,  and  told  him 
to  telegraph  me  immediately  if  anything  happened.  It 
was  my  intention  to  buy  any  money  he  might  get  changed, 
as  the  bankers  in  Montgomery  stated  that  they  would  be 
able  to  identify  some  of  the  stolen  bills.  I  warned  Roch 
against  coming  in  contact  with  Maroney  on  his  journey, 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.      49 

as  I  surmised  that  he  was  going  away  to  see  if  he  would 
be  followed.     This  was  certainly  his  intention. 

For  some  time  I  had  feared  that  Maroney  had  some 
idea  of  Porter's  reasons  for  stopping  in  Montgomery,  and 
felt  that  if  he  had,  he  would  be  completely  disabused  of 
it  by  discovering  that  Porter  did  not  follow  him.  He  was 
an  uncommonly  shrewd  man  and  had  formed  a  pretty 
good  opinion  of  detectives  and  of  his  ability  to  outwit 
them. 

He  had  seen  the  best  detectives  from  New  York,  New 
Orleans  and  other  places  completely  baffled.  He  expected 
to  be  followed  by  a  gentlemanly  appearing  man,  who 
would  drink  and  smoke  occasionally,  wear  a  heavy  gold 
watch  chain,  and  have  plenty  of  money  to  spend  ;  but  the 
idea  of  being  followed  by  a  poor  old  Dutchman  never 
entered  his  head. 

I  charged  Roch  not  to  pay  any  attention  to  Maroney  or 
to  appear  to  do  so  until  he  started  to  leave  Montgomery, 
and  concluded  by  saying  that  I  felt  I  could  trust  him  to 
do  all  in  his  power  for  the  agency  and  for  my  honor. 

Maroney  made  his  preparations  for  departure,  all  his 
movements  being  closely  watched  by  Porter. 
4 


CHAPTER     VI. 

ON  the  fifth  of  April  Maroney,  having  completed  his 
preparations,  started  by  the  first  train  for  Atlanta, 
via  West  Point.  The  day  was  a  very  warm  one,  but 
Maroney  was  accompanied  to  the  station  by  a  great  num 
ber  of  friends.  With  many  a  hearty  shake  of  the  hand 
they  bade  him  farewell,  some  of  them  accompanying  him 
to  the  first,  and  some  even  to  the  second  station  beyond 
Montgomery.  No  one  could  have  started  on  a  journey 
under  more  favorable  auspices. 

Before  the  train  started  a  German  might  have  been  seen 
slowly  wending  his  way  to  the  depot.  He  had  no  slaves 
to  follow,  or  wait  upon  him.  No  one  knew  him,  and  the 
poor  fellow  had  not  a  friend  to  bid  him  good-bye.  He 
went  to  the  ticket  office,  and  in  broken  English  said:  "  I 
vants  a  teeket  for  Vest  Point ;  "  and  stood  puffing  at  his 
pipe  until  the  clerk  gave  him  his  ticket,  for  which  he 
paid,  and  took  his  seat  in  a  car  called,  in  the  South,  the 
"nigger  car."  He  had  a  rather  large  satchel,  and  it  must 
be  confessed  he  was  decidedly  dirty,  as  he  had  been  toil 
ing  along  a  dusty  road,  under  the  hot  Southern  sun. 

In  about  ten  minutes  after,  Maroney  arrived,  with  his 
numerous  friends,  stepped  on  board,  and  the  train  slowly 
drew  out  of  the  station. 

The  German  had  taken  a  reversed  seat  in  the  rear  of 
his  car,  and,  apparently  indifferent  to  the  lively  conversa- 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.        51 

tion  of  the  negroes  around  him,  slowly  smoked  his  pipe. 
Maroney  took  a  seat  in  the  ladies'  car,  talked  with  his 
friends,  among  whom  were  several  ladies,  and  then  had  a 
merry  romp  with  a  child.  In  about  three-quarters  of  an 
hour  he  rose,  and,  walking  to  the  front  of  the  car,  scru 
tinized  the  faces  of  all  the  passengers  carefully.  Our 
Dutchman  gazed  carelessly  at  him  through  the  window 
of  the  car  in  which  he  sat.  Maroney  passed  through  the 
"nigger  car,"  not  thinking  it  worth  while  to  take  notice 
of  its  inmates,  and  looking  on  the  poor  immigrant  as  no 
better  than  a  negro.  Then  he  went  into  the  express  car, 
shook  hands  with  the  messenger,  chatted  with  him  a 
moment,  and  passed  on  to  the  baggage  car.  At  the  first 
station  he  stepped  off,  met  several  friends,  and  was  well 
received  by  all.  The  conductor  collected  no  fare  from 
him,  as  he  had  been  a  conductor  at  one  time,  and  that 
chalked  his  hat  "  O.  K." 

He  left  the  train  at  every  station,  looked  keenly  around 
with  an  eye  that  showed  plainly  that  he  was  fighting  for 
liberty  itself,  and  then  returning,  passed  through  it,  care 
fully  examining  the  faces  of  the  passengers.  By  the  time 
they  reached  West  Point  he  had  regained  his  old  firm 
ness —  at  least  the  German  thought  so. 

If  any  one  had  watched,  they  might  have  seen  the 
German  go  to  the  ticket  office  in  West  Point  and,  in 
broken  language,  inquire  for  a  ticket  to  Atlanta.  Having 
procured  his  ticket,  he  went  immediately  to  the  second- 
class  car  and  continued  his  journey  with  Maroney. 

At  West  Point  Maroney  met  several  friends,  who  all 
sympathized  with  him.  After  drinking  with  them  he 
went  to  the  train  and  into  the  express  car,  although  it  is 


52  PINKERTONS  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

strict  rule  of  the  company  that  no  one  but  the  messenger 
shall  be  allowed  in  it.  The  rule  is  often  broken,  espe 
cially  in  the  South,  where  the  polite  messengers  dislike  to 
ask  a  gentleman  to  leave  their  car.  The  German  took  in 
all  that  was  going  on,  but  who  cared  for  him  ?  poor, 
stupid  dolt !  Maroney  remained  in  the  express  car  a 
short  time,  and  then  again  passed  through  the  train,  but 
discovered  nothing  to  cause  him  the  slightest  uneasiness. 

On  arriving  at  Atlanta  he  proceeded  to  the  Atlanta 
House,  and  was  given  a  room.  The  German  arrived  at 
the  hotel  soon  after  him,  and  throwing  down  his  satchel, 
asked,  in  his  broken  English,  for  a  room.  The  clerk 
scarcely  deigning  to  notice  him,  sent  him  to  the  poorest 
room  the  house  afforded. 

Roch,  finding  that  no  train  left  until  morning,  amused 
himself  with  another  smoke,  at  the  same  time  noticing 
that  Maroney  was  well  received  by  the  clerk,  whom  he 
knew,  and  by  all  the  conductors  and  gentlemen  who  fre 
quented  the  hotel.  His  journey  had  been  almost  an 
entire  ovation,  and  he  had  become  almost  completely 
self-possessed. 

At  eleven  he  retired  for  the  night.  Roch,  after  waiting 
for  some  time,  walked  noiselessly  down  the  hall  to  Maro- 
ney's  room,  and  listened  at  the  door.  Finding  all  quiet, 
he  walked  down  to  the  office,  got  the  key  to  his  room,  and 
went  to  bed. 

He  got  up  early  in  the  morning  and,  with  Maroney, 
took  an  early  breakfast.  He  kept  a  close  watch  on  him, 
and  learned  from  the  conversation  of  some  of  Maroney 's 
friends,  to  whom  he  had  divulged  his  plans,  where  he  was 
going,  and  by  what  route  he  intended  to  pursue  his  jour- 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   53 

ney.  He  said  that  he  should  be  gone  some  five  weeks, 
but  would  return  to  Montgomery  in  time  to  prepare  for 
his  trial. 

Some  of  his  friends  alluded  to  his  arrest  for  the  rob 
bery.  He  smiled,  and  said  they  would  soon  find  that  he 
was  not  the  guilty  party ;  and  moreover,  that  the  Express 
Company  would  find  that  it  would  cost  them  a  good  deal 
before  they  got  through  with  him,  as,  after  his  acquittal, 
he  would  certainly  sue  them  for  heavy  damages.  He 
knew  the  wealth  of  the  company,  and  that  they  would 
"leave  no  stone  unturned"  to  ruin  him,  but  he  had  no 
fears  as  to  the  result,  when  the  facts  were  laid  before  a 
jury  of  his  countrymen. 

He  had  many  acquaintances  at  Atlanta,  and  gave  him 
self  up  to  enjoyment.  Roch  wrote  to  me  that  if  he  had 
started  out  with  the  expectation  of  being  followed,  he  had 
no  such  fears  now.  In  the  evening  Maroney  complained 
to  the  clerk  about  his  room,  and  Roch  became  uneasy 
when  he  found  he  had  moved  to  another  part  of  the  house. 
He  feared  that  Maroney  might  leave  town  by  some  pri 
vate  conveyance,  and  so  kept  a  close  watch  on  his  move 
ments.  He  staid  up  until  a  late  hour,  but  finding  that 
Maroney  was  safe  in  bed,  finally  retired.  At  a  very  early 
hour  in  the  morning  he  was  stirring  and  patiently  waited 
for  Maroney  to  get  up.  Maroney  soon  came  down, 
apparently  in  the  best  of  spirits,  and  ordered  his  trunk,  a 
very  large  one,  to  be  taken  to  the  depot.  Roch  was  seized 
with  a  desire  to  go  through  this  trunk,  and  determined  to 
do  so  if  he  possibly  could.  He  had  not  seen  it  at  Mont 
gomery  as  it  came  down  with  the  other  baggage,  and  one 
of  Maroney 's  friends  had  had  it  checked  and  handed  the 


54  PINKERTQN'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

check  to  him  when  on  the  train.  His  desire  was  useless, 
as  he  was  not  destined  to  see  the  inside  of  the  trunk,  at 
least  not  for  the  present.  He  wrote  to  me  of  Maroney's 
having  the  trunk,  and  said  I  might  rely  on  his  examining 
it  if  he  possibly  could. 

Maroney  took  the  train  for  Chattanooga,  still  paying  no 
fare.  Roch  bought  a  second  class  ticket  and  they  were 
soon  under  way.  When  about  one  hour  out  from  Atlanta 
Maroney  passed  through  the  train  eyeing  all  the  well- 
dressed  men  on  board,  of  whom  there  were  a  great  many, 
but  paying  no  attention  to  the  inmates  of  the  "  nigger  car." 
He  saw  no  cause  for  uneasiness,  and  soon  became  the 
happiest  man  on  board.  He  passed  through  the  cars 
several  times  before  the  train  reached  Chattanooga,  and 
his  spirits  seemed  to  rise  after  each  inspection.  When 
they  arrived  at  Chattanooga.  Maroney  put  up  at  the 
Crutch'field  House,  and  being  very  tired  did  not  go  out 
that  evening.  He  seemed  well  acquainted  with  the  clerk 
and  some  of  the  guests,  drank  several  times  with  his 
friends,  and  went  to  his  room  quite  early.  Roch  wrote 
to  me  from  the  Crutchfield  House,  where  he  had  also  put 
up,  giving  me  a  detailed  account  of  all  that  had  hap 
pened,  and  in  a  postscript  said  "  Maroney  has  not  the 
slightest  idea  that  he  is  being  followed,  and  all  is  serene." 
In  the  morning  Maroney  sauntered  around  the  city, 
apparently  with  no  particular  object  in  view,  but  drop 
ping  into  some  of  the  stores  to  visit  his  friends.  Finally 
he  went  into  a  lawyer's  office  where  he  remained  some 
time.  Roch  took  up  a  position  where  he  could  watch  the 
office  without  being  observed.  At  last  Maroney  came 
out  of  the  office  with  a  gentleman,  went  into  a  saloon 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.     55 

with  him,  where  they  drank  together,  and  then  returned 
to  the  hotel  to  dinner.  After  dinner  he  smoked  until 
about  two  o'clock,  and  then  walked  out  and  started  up 
the  main  street  of  the  town,  towards  the  suburbs.  The 
day  was  intensely  warm,  and  there  were  few  people  stir 
ring  in  the  streets.  When  Maroney  reached  the  suburbs 
he  stopped  and  looked  suspiciously  around.  He  took  no 
notice  of  the  German,  who  was  walking  along  wrapped 
up  in  his  pipe,  his  only  consolation.  Being  satisfied  that 
no  one  was  following  him,  he  turned  around  the  corner 
and  suddenly  disappeared. 

When  Roch  got  to  the  corner  he  could  not  see  Maroney 
in  any  direction.  There  were  blocks  of  fine  houses  on 
both  sides  of  the  street,  and  he  was  certain  Maroney  was 
in  one  of  them.  But  which  one?  That  he  could  not 
tell.  He  did  not  like  to  leave  the  neighborhood,  but  it 
would  not  do  to  stay.  There  were  few  persons  on  the 
street,  and  if  he  lingered  around  the  corner  he  would 
surely  be  noticed  and  suspected.  He  walked  very  slowly 
around  the  square,  but  discovering  nothing,  and  fearing 
that  he  might  alarm  the  quiet  neighborhood,  he  went 
back  to  the  hotel.  He  was  now  at  the  end  of  his  rope. 
He  was  certain. Maroney  was  in  one  of  the  houses,  and 
feared  that  he  was  getting  the  money  changed.  He  might 
have  brought  it  with  him,  concealed  it  on  his  person,  and 
taken  it  with  him  to  the  house  he  was  now  in.  Terribly 
disappointed,  he  sat  down  and  wrote  to  me  for  instruc 
tions,  thinking  that  my  letter  in  reply  would  most  likely 
reach  him  in  Chattanooga.  At  dusk  he  went  out  to  the 
suburbs,  but  did  not  find  a  trace  of  Maroney.  Returning 
to  the  hotel,  he  found  that  no  train  left  till  morning,  and 


56  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

weary  and  worn  he  went  to  his  room,  and  in  a  most 
despondent  mood,  soon  retired.  Early  in  the  morning 
he  came  down  but  there  was  no  sign  of  Maroney  He 
determined  to  peep  into  his  room,  and  fortunately  man 
aged  to  do  so  without  being  discovered,  finding  his  trunk 
and  a  bundle  of  soiled  linen  still  there.  Somewhat 
reassured,  he  took  his  breakfast  and  went  down  to  see 
the  train  off.  The  train  started,  but  Maroney  not  putting 
in  an  appearance,  Roch  began  to  feel  that  he  must  have 
been  outwitted.  As  he  retraced  his  steps  to  the  hotel  he 
was  astonished  to  see  Maroney  on  his  way  to  the  same 
place.  Roch  having  once  more  got  his  eye  on  him, 
determined,  if  possible,  to  find  out  where  he  had  passed 
the  previous  night.  He  thought  the  matter  over,  and 
concluded  that  for  many  reasons  it  would  be  best  to 
change  his  boarding  place.  The  people  at  the  hotel  did 
not  think  much  of  a  poor  German,  and  might  conclude 
he  could  not  pay  his  bill,  and  as  he  did  not  wish  to  guar 
antee  payment,  he  went  to  his  room,  brought  down  his 
satchel,  and  going  to  the  office,  paid  his  bill.  He  had 
seen  a  German  boarding-house  down  the  street,  so  taking 
his  satchel  in  his  hand,  he  went  in  and  enquired  if  they 
had  a  room  to  spare.  He  found  they  had,  and  on  glanc 
ing  around  discovered  that  the  change  in  many  respects 
was  for  the  better,  as  from  the  boarding-house  he  had  a 
clear  view  of  all  that  occurred  in  front  of  the  hotel. 

He  did  not  see  Maroney  again  until  evening,  when  he 
came  out,  looking  fresh  and  bright,  having  evidently 
refreshed  himself  by  a  bath  and  a  shave. 

Maroney  went  into  a  saloon,  talked  to  several  parties, 
strolled  leisurely  around,  returned  to  the  hotel,  passed  the 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.     57 

evening  till  ten  o'clock  with  a  party  of  gentlemen,  and 
then  retired. 

Roch  rose  early,  and  found  that  the  landlord,  who,  like 
most  of  his  countrymen,  possessed  the  good  habit  of  being 
an  early  riser,  had  breakfast  ready.  After  breakfast  he 
took  a  seat  on  the  verandah,  and  watched  Maroney  as  he 
loitered  around.  At  two  in  the  afternoon  Maroney  saun 
tered  out,  and  started  in  the  direction  of  the  suburbs. 

Roch  concluded  he  was  going  to  the  place  where  he 
had  lost  him  the  day  before,  and  now  he  had  the  coveted 
opportunity  of  finding  his  hiding  place. 

Walking  slowly  after  him,  smoking  his  pipe  and  gap- 
Jng  around,  until  he  reached  a  cross-street,  a  block  from 
where  Maroney  had  disappeared  before,  he  turned  down 
this  street,  walked  rapidly  until  he  reached  the  next  street 
running  parallel  to  the  one  Maroney  was  on,  and  turning 
up  it  he  ran  to  the  corner  above,  where  he  got  behind  the 
fence,  as  if  urged  by  a  pressing  necessity.  From  his 
position  he  could  see  down  the  street  without  being  seen. 

In  a  moment  Maroney  reached  the  corner,  a  block 
from  him.  Looking  around,  as  before,  he  pulled  his  hat 
over  his  eyes,  and,  walking  rapidly  part  way  down  the 
block,  he  entered  a  comfortable  looking  frame-building. 
It  was  painted  a  creamy  white,  and  its  windows  were  pro 
tected  by  the  greenest  of  green  blinds. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

ROCH  walked  around  for  some  time,  and  then  returned 
to  his  boarding-house.  Finding  no  one  but  the 
landlord  and  the  bar-keeper  in  the  saloon,  he  bought  a 
bottle  of  wine,  and  asked  them  to  join  him  in  drinking  it. 
They  gladly  consented,  and  he  entered  into  a  conversa 
tion  with  them,  in  which  he  pretended  to  give  them  a  his 
tory  of  his  life,  and  his  plans  for  the  future. 

He  complimented  the  city  very  highly,  saying  that  he 
was  so  much  pleased  with  it  that  he  had  determined  to 
buy  some  property  there.  He  then  informed  them  that 
he  had  been  looking  at  some  houses,  and  wished  to  get 
the  landlord's  opinion  of  them.  He  —  the  landlord  — 
had  been  in  the  city  for  many  years,  and  must  be  well 
acquainted  with  the  value  of  property. 

Roch  now  called  for  another  bottle  of  wine,  and  pro 
ceeded  to  describe  some  of  the  houses  at  which  he  had 
been  looking.  He  described  several,  but  one  in,  partic 
ular,  he  said,  had  taken  his  fancy ;  and  he  then  described 
the  house  Maroney  had  entered,  saying  further  that  he 
thought  there  were  several  ladies  there. 

The  landlord  looked  at  his  bar-keeper  and  winked,  and 
then  giving  Roch  a  poke  in  the  ribs,  said,  with  a  hearty 
laugh  :  "  Oh  !  you  have  found  them  out,  have  you  ?  " 
Then,  with  another  poke:  "You're  a  sly  fellow,  you  are," 
and  burst  into  a  roar  of  laughter,  in  which  he  was  heart 
ily  joined  by  the  bar-keeper. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   59 

Roch  pretended  not  to  comprehend  what  they  meant, 
and  turned  the  conversation  to  other  subjects.  He  felt 
very  happy  when  he  discovered  the  character  —  or  rather 
want  of  character  —  of  the  house,  as  he  now  knew  the 
business  Maroney  was  engaged  in. 

Maroney  did  not  make  his  appearance  up  to  the  time 
the  train  left,  so  Roch  retired. 

Early  in  the  morning  he  arose,  ate  his  breakfast,  and 
was  surprised  to  see  Maroney,  \vho  must  have  returned  in 
the  night,  just  coming  out  of  the  hotel.  Seeing  Maroney 's 
trunk  just  being  placed  on  the  baggage  wagon,  he  hastily 
paid  his  bill  at  the  boarding-house,  and  managed  to  reach 
the  station  some  time  in  advance  of  Maroney. 

In  about  half  an  hour  Maroney  came  up  and  bought  a 
first-class  ticket  for  Nashville.  Roch  bought  a  second- 
class  ticket  to  the  same  place,  and  took  up  his  old  position 
in  the  "nigger  car." 

Nothing  of  importance  happened  between  Chattanooga 
and  Nashville. 

At  Nashville  Maroney  put  up  at  the  City  Hotel,  while 
Roch  obtained  lodgings  at  a  German  saloon  just  around 
the  corner. 

Maroney  met  plenty  of  friends,  who  received  him 
warmly.  He  amused  himself  by  going  to  the  livery  sta 
bles,  looking  at  the  horses,  and  driving  around  the  city. 
He  met  a  gentleman  and  passed  a  good  deal  of  time  with 
him,  but  had  no  business  transactions  with  him  ;  merely 
using  him  as  a  companion  to  help  kill  time.  The  weather 
was  all  that  could  be  desired,  and  Maroney  was  "  gay  as 
a  lark." 

The  second  day  after  his  arrival  in  Nashville,  he  went 


60  PINKERTON'S  DETECl^IVE  STORIES. 

into  a  jeweler's,  and  remained  over  three-quarters  of  an 
hour :  came  out,  and  at  the  end  of  three  hours  again  went 
in,  this  time  stopping  over  an  hour.  When  he  came  out 
Roch  discovered  that  he  had  a  parcel  in  his  hand,  and 
concluded  that  he  had  made  a  purchase.  He  at  once 
reported  the  incident  to  me. 

The  third  day,  at  train  time,  the  trunk  was  again 
brought  down.  Roch  went  to  the  depot,  wondering  what 
could  be  the  meaning  of  this  move,  as  the  train  about  to 
start  would  take  them  back  to  Chattanooga. 

His  suspense  was  soon  put  at  rest,  by  Maroney's  coming 
down  and  buying  a  ticket  to  Chattanooga.  Roch  fol 
lowed  suit,  and  they  were  soon  on  their  backward  track. 

Maroney  passed  through  the  cars,  scrutinizing  the 
passengers,  neglecting  those  in  the  "nigger  car,"  as 
heretofore,  which  was  the  only  incident  of  the  trip  to 
Chattanooga. 

Here  he  again  put  up  at  the  Crutchfield  House,  while 
Roch  went  back  to  his  German  boarding-house.  He 
made  some  excuses  to  account  for  his  sudden  return,  but 
they  were  unnecessary,  for,  so  long  as  he  paid  his  bill 
regularly,  the  landlord  was  perfectly  satisfied. 

The  next  morning  Maroney  visited  a  livery  stable  owned 
by  a  man  named  Cook,  who  was  a  great  favorite.  He  was 
said  to  have  a  horse  which  could  out-trot  anything  in  the 
city.  Cook  and  Maroney  drove  out  several  times  with 
this  horse,  and  Maroney  examined  him  critically.  He  was 
a  good  judge  of  horseflesh,  and  when  he  was  excited 
would  fairly  carry  a  person  away  with  his  vivid  descrip 
tion  of  the  delights  of  "  tooling  "  along  behind  a  fast  horse. 

Roch   could  not  certainly  tell  whether  Maroney  had 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.      61 

bought  the  horse  or  not,  but  judged  he  had,  as  he  heard 
Cook  tell  Maroney  that  he  should  expect  to  see  him  on  his 
return  to  Chattanooga. 

After  leaving  Cook,  Maroney  sauntered  out  to  see  his 
fair,  but  frail  friends.  Roch  left  him  there  and  returned 
to  have  a  good  time  with  his  countrymen.  He  had 
ordered  up  a  bottle  of  wine,  and  the  landlord  and  he  were 
just  about  to  have  a  game  of  euchre  when  he  accidentally 
glanced  up  at  the  hotel. 

It  was  fortunate  he  did  so,  as  whom  should  he  see 
going  in  at  the  main  entrance  but  Maroney.  He  hastily 
excused  himself  from  the  game  and  walked  out.  He  had 
gone  hardly  a  block  from  his  boarding-house  before  Ma 
roney  came  down  and  got  into  a  carriage.  He  had  gone 
at  once  to  his  room,  ordered  his  trunk  down,  paid  his  bill 
and  was  now  being  hurried  to  the  depot. 

Roch  followed  as  fast  as  he  could.  Maroney  had 
allowed  himself  barely  enough  time  to  check  his  trunk 
and  step  upon  the  train  as  it  moved  off,  so  that  Roch  had 
to  start  without  his  satchel  and  without  buying  a  ticket. 
He  did  not  think  much  of  the  loss  of  his  baggage,  that 
little  loss  being  more  than  compensated  by  the  joy  he  felt 
at  not  having  lost  his  man. 

He  had  not  the  slightest  idea  where  Maroney  was  going, 
but  took  up  his  old  position  in  the  "  nigger  car"  and  watched 
closely.  When  the  conductor  came  around  to  Maroney, 
Roch  noticed  two  things  :  first,  that  Maroney  bought  a 
through  ticket  to  Memphis ;  and  second,  that  the  con 
ductor  did  not  know  him.  Wherever  he  had  gone  before, 
he  had  met  friends,  but  now  he  had  left  them  all  behind. 


62  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

Roch  followed  Maroney's  lead  and  bought  a  second  class 
ticket  to  Memphis. 

Maroney,  though  utterly  unconscious  of  the  fact,  was 
as  much  in  the  power  of  Roch  as  was  Sindbad  the  Sailor 
in  the  power  of  the  little  old  man  who  clung  to  his  neck 
with  a  grasp  that  could  not  be  loosened.  Although, 
literally,  Roch  did  not  touch  him,  figuratively  he  held  him 
with  a  grasp  of  iron,  and  all  Maroney's  efforts  to  shake 
him  off  would  have  proved  waste  of  time  and  strength. 

A  storm  was  impending  when  they  left  Chattanooga  and 
it  had  now  burst  upon  them  in  a  perfect  fury.  Night  had 
set  in,  but  flash  after  flash  of  lightning  lit  up  the  sky. 
One  moment,  objects  were  rendered  distinctly  visible  as 
they  dashed  by,  the  next  they  were  lost  in  gloom.  The 
sparks  from  the  locomotive  were  quenched  in  the  falling 
torrent  and  the  roar  of  the  train  was  silenced  by  the  loud 
peals  of  thunder. 

It  was  a  wild  night,  but  Roch  got  on  the  platform  to 
make  sure  of  Maroney.  There  were  no  sleeping-cars  at 
the  time  and  he  had  no  trouble  in  getting  a  good  view 
of  him.  Maroney  was  stretched  out  on  his  seat  fast 
asleep.  He  watched  him  for  some  time,  and  then  con 
cluding  that  there  was  little  danger  of  his  attempting  to 
leave  the  car  on  such  a  night,  he  went  back  to  his  seat 
in  the  "nigger  car." 

Ever  since  he  had  left  Montgomery,  Maroney  had  been 
executing  a  series  of  strategic  movements,  and  now  that 
he  had  undoubtedly  thrown  his  pursuers,  if  there  were 
any,  off  his  track,  why  should  he  not  ease  his  overwrought 
mind  by  sleep,  that  sweetest  of  all  consolers  ? 

The    next    morning   they  arrived  in   Memphis.      The 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.      63 

storm  had  passed  away,  but  had  left  mementoes  in  the 
fresh  and  balmy  air  and  in  the  muddy  streets.  Maroney 
stopped  at  the  Gayosa  House.  Roch  found  it  an  easy 
matter  to  move  his  baggage,  and  walked  off  with  his  hands 
in  his  pockets,  wondering  where  he  could  get  a  clean 
shirt.  He  put  up  at  a  saloon  where  he  could  keep  an  eye 
on  Maroney,  and  having  bought  some  new  shirts  and  a 
second-hand  satchel,  he  felt  once  more  that  he  was  a 
respectable  man. 

From  Memphis  Roch  wrote  to  me,  informing  me  ''  that 
all  was  well ;  that  Maroney  seemed  perfectly  at  ease  and 
confident  that  if  any  one  had  followed  him,  he  had,  by  his 
retrograde  movement,  thrown  him  entirely  off  the  scent." 
He  had  not  the  slightest  idea  what  would  be  Maroney's 
next  move,  but  was  certain  he  could  keep  track  of  him. 

Maroney  appeared  familiar  with  Memphis,  but  had  no 
friends  there,  and  amused  himself  loitering  around,  occa 
sionally  going  into  a  saloon.  The  second  day  of  his  stay 
Roch  observed  him  write  and  post  a  letter.  Then  he 
visited  the  livery  stables,  admired  some  of  the  fine  horses 
and  afterwards  strolled  down  to  the  wharf,  where  the 
steamer  "  John  Walsh  "  was  being  loaded  with  cotton  and 
tobacco.  He  went  on  board  and  looked  over  the  Walsh, 
saw  the  clerk  and  entered  into  conversation  with  him. 
Roch  heard  the  clerk  say  that  the  steamer  would  leave  in 
about  two  hours,  and  concluded  that  Maroney  was  going 
down  the  river  on  her. 

Maroney  returned  to  the  Gayosa  House  and  paid  his 
bill,  which  caused  Roch  to  hurry  to  his  boarding-house 
pay  his  bill,  and  with  his  newly  acquired  treasure,  the 
old  satchel,  hasten  to  the  river  and  take  a  steerage 


64  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

passage  to  New  Orleans  on  the  John  Walsh.  He  was 
a  little  afraid  that  Maroney  might  begin  to  notice  him  and 
found  it  necessary  to  use  the  utmost  caution.  Before 
embarking  on  the  Walsh  he  laid  in  a  stock  of  "  bolognas," 
a  few  pounds  of  the  rankest  "  Sweitzer  kase "  and  an 
abundance  of  "pretzels." 

Coming  down  to  the  boat  some  time  before  Maroney, 
he  filled  his  pipe  and  took  a  seat  where  he  could  watch 
all  that  went  on.  After  some  time  Maroney  drove  up  in 
a  carriage,  had  his  trunk  carried  up  to  his  state-room, 
and,  lighting  his  cigar,  took  a  seat  and  watched  the  move 
ments  of  the  crew  who  were  employed  in  taking  on  the 
cargo.  It  was  a  busy  scene :  the  negroes  toiled  along 
under  the  burning  sun,  lightening  their  labors  with  a 
merry  boatman's  song.  Their  burdens  were  heavy,  but 
their  hearts  were  light. 

Maroney,  instead  of  looking  down  on  them  with  the 
contempt  he  did,  should  have  longed  for  their  content 
and  happiness.  The  meanest  of  them  possessed  what  he 
never  could  possess—  "a  contented  mind." 

In  less  than  half  an  hour  the  steamer's  bell  was  rung, 
friends  hurriedly  bade  each  other  good-bye,  the  gang 
planks  were  hauled  in,  and  the  John  Walsh  was  soon  snort 
ing  down  the  river.  The  decks  and  cabins  of  the  Walsh 
were  crowded  with  passengers ;  ladies  handsomely  dressed, 
planters  going  to  New  Orleans  on  business  or  pleasure ; 
tourists  making  a  trip  down  the  Mississippi  for  the  first 
time,  and  being  charmed  with  the  variety  of  the  scenes 
around  them  :  all  was  life,  gaiety  and  animation. 

Although  Maroney  would  have  generally  mingled  with 
the  passengers,  "  the  gayest  of  the  gay,"  he  now  kept 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.     65 

entirely  aloof  from  them.  He  was  oppressed  by  the 
"weight  of  his  secret,"  and  sought  "by  solitary  musings" 
to  ease  his  mind.  He  read  a  little,  glanced  at  the  scenery 
along  the  river,  landed  and  walked  around  at  the  different 
places  where  the  steamer  stopped,  but  kept  entirely  to 
himself. 

5 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

NOTHING  occurred  worthy  of  note  until  they  arrived 
at  Natchez,  but  here  Roch  was  much  amazed  to  see 
Maroney's  trunk  being  put  on  the  wharf-boat.  He  knew 
it  was  the  custom  of  the  managers  of  the  wharf-boats  to 
allow  baggage  to  be  left  on  the  wharf,  and  to  collect  a 
small  sum  for  storage ;  so  he  took  his  satchel  and  placed 
it  near  Maroney's  trunk. 

He  left  the  boat  just  in  time  to  see  Maroney  take  the 
only  carriage  that  happened  to  be  at  the  river  when  the 
steamer  arrived,  and  drive  rapidly  up  the  hill.  He  knew 
that  he  could  get  plenty  of  carriages  in  a  few  minutes, 
but  by  that  time  where  would  Maroney  be?  His  only 
sure  method  was  to  follow  him  at  once,  and  trust  to  find 
ing  a  conveyance  on  the  hill.  He  followed  as  fast  as  he 
could,  and  just  as  he  got  to  the  top  of  the  hill  was  for 
tunate  enough  to  meet  a  negro  driving  an  express  wagon. 
He  immediately  struck  a  bargain  with  him  to  drive  him 
around  town  for  a  dollar  an  hour. 

Roch,  in  his  excitement  had  dropped  his  German 
accent,  and  spoke  uncommonly  good  English  for  an 
immigrant;  but  the  negro,  being  a  very  good  talker  him 
self,  did  not  remark  it.  By  Roch's  direction  the  driver 
followed  on  straight  up  the  street  in  the  same  direction 
Maroney  had  taken. 

Maroney  got  out  of  the  carriage  and  wen*  into  a  store. 


TlfE  EXPRESSMA.V  AXD   THE  DETECTIVE.      (Jl 

It  would  not  do  for  Roch  to  wait  on  the  express  wagon 
for  Maroney's  reappearance.  He,  therefore,  instructed 
his  driver  to  await  his  return,  and  stepped  into  a  store, 
from  which,  while  he  was  examining  some  goods,  he  could 
also  keep  an  eye  on  Maroney's  carriage. 

What  Maroney  was  doing  in  the  store,  was  a  problem 
which  Roch  would  have  liked  to  solve. 

In  about  fifteen  minutes  Maroney  came  out,  and 
appearing  familiar  with  the  town,  directed  his  driver 
where  to  take  him.  He  was  driven  to  a  comfortable 
looking  house  ;  the  negro  driver  saying  something  to  him, 
and  motioning  toward  it.  Maroney  answered,  and  the 
hackman  drove  away,  while  Maroney  went  into  the  house. 

Roch  was  now  at  a  loss  what  steps  to  take.  The 
hack  driver  had  not  been  paid,  and  in  all  probability 
would  return  for  Maroney.  If  he  watched  the  house,  he 
might  be  discovered  from  behind  the  blinds;  so  he  deter 
mined  to  keep  his  eye  on  the  hack  driver.  The  hackman 
drove  leisurely  down  to  a  saloon,  fastened  his  horses,  and 
went  in.  Roch  opened  conversation  with  his  driver,  and 
found  that  he  was  a  slave,  but  that  he  had  got  permission 
from  his  master  to  hire  himself  out,  for  which  privilege 
he  paid  one  hundred  dollars  a  month.  After  working 
for  some  time  he  had  been  enabled  to  purchase  the  horse 
and  wagon  he  drove,  and  as  he  was  making  money,  hoped 
in  a  few  years  to  have  enough  to  purchase  his  own  free 
dom.  Roch  concluded  he  could  gain  from  him  some 
information  as  to  Maroney's  driver,  so  he  carelessly  asked 
him  if  the  hack  driver  was  also  hired  out. 

"  Yes,  sah,  him  ib  my  cousin,"  said  Sambo. 

Roch    supposed   the   negro   must   have  had   his   quasi 


68  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

freedom,  from  seeing  him  go  into  a  saloon,  as  the  planters 
never  allow  their  slaves  to  go  into  drinking-placcs ;  not 
because  they  think  it  immoral,  but  because  the  slaves 
would  most  likely  become  unfit  for  work. 

Roch  asked  the  negro  if  he  knew  where  they  kept  good 
brandy. 

"  Golly,  ib  you  want  good  licker,  dis  yer  sloon  is  de 
place  to  find  it !  " 

"Drive  up,  and  we  will  sample  some  of  it,"  ordered 
Roch. 

Sambo  willingly  obeyed,  and  they  went  into  the  saloon. 
Roch  again  assumed  his  German  accent.  The  two 
negroes  at  once  recognized  each  other,  and  Roch,  in  his 
broken  way,  said  : 

"  Vel,  poys,  vat  vill  you  haf?  " 

The  niggers  grinned  from  ear  to  ear,  and  replied  : 

"  De  same  ab  you,  boss." 

"  Barkeeper,  you  haf  any  lager  got  ?  Nein  ?  Och, 
mine  Got,  dis  ish  von  h — 1  of  a  blace!  Netting  put 
prandy  und  vhisky  !  I  pelieves  I  vill  go  by  Yarmany 
the  steamer  next.  Veil,  give  us  dree  prandys  !  Trink 
hearty,  poys.  Mine  frient,"  continued  he,  turning  to  the 
hackman,  "your  peesness  ish  goot  ?  No?  " 

"  Yes,  sah !  I  always  dribes  the  gemmen  what  comes 
on  de  steamer.  Ya,  ha !  Dey  nearly  all  goes  to  de  same 
place.  Dis  mornin'  a  gemmen  come  on  de  steamer,  an' 
say,  '  Here,  you  nigga,  dribe  me  as  fas'  as  you  can  to 
Mudder  Sink's.'  I'se  yer  man,  says  I;  an'  golly,  didn't 
I'  make  dose  hosses  trabel !  I  was  gwine  like  de  debil 
when  he  stop  me,  an'  went  to  de  store.  Den  I  took  him 
to  Madam's,  and  he  say,  'Here,  Sambo,  you  jus'  go  down 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.  69 

town,  an'  come  fur  me  in  two  hours; '  an'  I's  gwine  back, 
an'  if  dis  yer  nigga  don't  get  a  fiver  for  his  trouble,  den 
dis  court  don't  know  itself!  " 

"  Mudder  Beenk's  ?  "  exclaimed  Roch.  "  Who  vas 
das  ?  " 

"  Yah,  yah,  yah,"  roared  both  the  darkies.  "  You  don' 
know  Mudder  Binks  !  Why,  she  keeps  de  finest  gals  on 
all  de  ribber." 

Roch  was  happy  when  he  heard  this,  as  he  was  now 
positive  that  Maroney  was  not  taking  any  action  to  cover 
up  the  robbery  ;  so  he  settled  with  the  expressman,  and 
returned  to  the  wharf-boat  to  look  after  Maroney 's  trunk. 
He  saw  that  the  trunk  was  still  where  it  had  been  left, 
and  on  going  on  board  of  the  steamer,  found  that  most 
of  the  passengers  had  taken  advantage  of  their  long  stay, 
and  were  visiting  in  the  town.  Roch  took  a  seat  on  the 
wharf-boat,  near  the  office.  He  puffed  away  at  his  pipe 
for  some  time,  staring  vacantly  around,  when  he  heard  a 
carriage  rattling  down  the  hill.  In  a  moment  it  stopped, 
and  looking  up  Roch  saw  Maroney  almost  leaning  over 
him  and  conversing  with  a  gentleman  in  the  office. 

"  Are  you  the  agent  of  Jones's  Express  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Yes,"  replied  the  gentleman. 

"  I  thought  your  office  was  up  the  hill.  Have  you 
received  a  package  for  —  —  ?  "  (Roch  did  not  catch 

the  name.) 

The  gentleman  looked  over  his  book,  and  said  : 

"  No,  nothing ;  but  it  may  have  been  detained  in  the 
New  Orleans  office." 

This  was  the  substance  of  the  conversation. 

Maroney  went  into  the  office  and  remained  some  five 


70  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

minutes,  then  came  out,  and  seemed  debating  some  sub 
ject  in  his  mind. 

The  first  bell  of  the  Walsh  was  rung.  He  hurriedly 
ordered  his  trunk  on  board,  and  embarked,  closely  fol 
lowed  by  Roch,  "  mit  his  satchel."  They  proceeded 
quietly  on  their  journey  until  they  reached  New  Orleans, 
where  Maroney  secured  a  hack  and  was  driven  to  the 
City  Hotel.  He  passed  the  day  walking  around,  lost  in 
thought,  and  studying  some  subject  deeply. 

During  the  day  Roch  concluded  that  Maroney  was 
going  to  make  a  decided  move.  But  what  would  it  be? 
He  had  no  one  to  advise  him ;  none  from  whom  he  could 
seek  counsel,  and  he  was  at  a  loss  what  to  do. 

In  this  strait  he  telegraphed  to  me,  in  Chicago,  detail 
ing  his  predicament,  and  asking  instructions.  He  was 
much  surprised  at  receiving  an  answer  from  Philadelphia, 
where  I  then  was.  I  telegraphed  him  in  cipher,  con 
gratulating  him  on  his  success  so  far,  and  told  him  not  to 
mind  the  loss  of  his  baggage  ;  but  to  change  his  disguise, 
and  rig  himself  up  as  a  dashing  Southerner.  Accord 
ingly,  the  first  thing  in  the  morning,  he  took  a  bath,  had 
had  his  face  clean  shaven,  and,  going  to  the  clothing  and 
other  furnishing  stores,  soon  procured  a  fashionable  outfit. 

When  he  was  dressed  in  his  new  clothes,  what  a  meta 
morphosis  had  he  made,  from  the  clod-hopping  Dutchman 
to  the  gay,  genteel  and  courteous  citizen  !  I  telegraphed 
to  him  that  I  thought  success  was  almost  in  his  grasp,  and 
to  keep  a  constant  lookout. 

He  took  a  room  in  the  City  Hotel,  and  was  very  much 
pleased,  on  coming  into  the  breakfast  room,  to  find  Ma 
roney  there.  He  had  to  look  twice  before  he  was  certain 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.  71 

of  his  man,  as  Maroney  had  also  changed  his  appearance. 
He  had  donned  a  suit  of  city  clothes,  had  changed  the 
cut  of  his  whiskers,  had  had  his  hair  cut  short,  and  had 
altered  his  entire  appearance.  Now  commenced  the 
chase  in  earnest. 

Maroney  walked  around  the  hotel,  with  his  hands  in  his 
pockets,  occasionally  glancing  out  of  the  window.  Finally 
he  went  out  on  the  street  and  walked  rapidly  around.  He 
would  walk  hurriedly  up  one  street,  cut  across,  and  come 
down  another,  and  then  pass  to  the  point  from  which  he 
started,  always  retracing  his  steps,  and  doubling  on  his 
track. 

The  thought  at  once  flashed  through  Roch's  mind  that 
he  was  endeavoring  to  discover  if  he  was  followed;  and, 
seeing  through  his  movements,  Roch  took  up  his  position 
at  the  base  of  operations,  and,  as  Maroney  started  up  one 
street,  he  waited  quietly  on  the  corner,  and  always  found 
that  Maroney  would  come  around  past  him  in  a  short 
time.  Maroney  spent  the  whole  morning  at  these 
manoeuvres,  trying  to  discover  if  he  was  followed,  Roch 
having  much  the  advantage  of  him,  in  being  able  to  keep 
watch  of  him  by  walking  only  a  fourth  of  the  distance. 

I  kept  the  telegraph  working,  and  Roch  would  take 
advantage  of  Maroney's  doublings  on  his  track,  to  rush 
to  the  telegraph  office,  send  a  despatch  to  me,  and,  in  a 
short  time,  rush  back  for  the  answer.  I  informed  him 
that  I  did  not  believe  that  Maroney  had  any  suspicions 
of  him,  but  was  keeping  a  sharp  lookout  for  any  of  the 
employes  of  the  Adams  Express  Company  who  might 
know  him,  and  who  were  numerous  in  New  Orleans.  He 
knew  the  New  Orleans  detectives  who  had  been  employed 


72  PINKER  TON ' S  DE  TE CTIVE  S TORIES. 

on  the  ten  thousand  dollar  robbery,  and  had  everything 
to  fear  from  them.  He  might  run  across  the  General 
Superintendent  of  the  Southern  Division  at  any  moment, 
and  wished  to  avoid  him  if  possible. 

I  impressed  on  Roch  the  necessity  of  the  strictest 
watch.  I  must  confess  that  I  felt  feverish  and  excited 
at  having  Roch  all  by  himself  watching  the  movements 
of  Maroney,  in  a  place  of  the  size  of  New  Orleans,  and 
if  it  had  been  possible  I  should  have  placed  more  men 
around  him;  but  that  was  now  out  of  the  question,  and 
all  I  could  do  was  to  rely  on  Roch.  I  communicated  all 
the  facts,  as  I  received  them,  to  the  Vice-President,  who 
was  with  me. 

In  the  afternoon  Maroney  strolled  down  the  street  and 
turned  into  the  Adams  Express  office.  Roch  knew  no 
one  in  the  office,  and,  as  this  last  move  of  Maroney's 
greatly  puzzled  him,  he  telegraphed  to  me  for  instruc 
tions.  I  consulted  with  the  Vice-President,  and  replied : 
"Trust  no  one.  Rely  on  yourself  alone."  Roch  got  the 
answer  in  about  an  hour,  during  which  time  Maroney 
remained  in  the  Express  office. 

On  leaving  the  Express  office,  he  went  to  a  daguerrean 
gallery,  remained  some  time,  and  then  went  to  the  hotel. 
On  Saturday  Maroney  again  went  to  the  daguerrean  gal 
lery  and  received  a  package,  which  Roch  supposed  con 
tained  his  pictures.  He  telegraphed  me  to  this  effect, 
and,  on  a  moment's  consideration  of  the  incident,  I 
ordered  him  to  procure  a  copy  of  the  picture  from  the 
gallery  if  he  possibly  could.  From  the  gallery  Maroney 
proceeded  to  the  amphitheatre  of  Spaulding  &:  Rogers, 
on  St.  Charles  street,  and  Roch,  feeling  certain  that  he 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   73 

would  remain  at  least  an  hour,  went  to  the  telegraph 
office,  sent  the  above  despatch,  and  as  soon  as  he  received 
the  answer,  went  directly  to  the  daguerrean  gallery. 

He  was  now  the  dashing  Southerner,  and  as  he  gaily 
entered  the  gallery,  twirling  his  handsome  cane,  he  was 
welcomed  by  a  pleasant  smile  from  a  young  lady,  an 
octoroon,  who  was  the  only  occupant  of  the  room. 
Although  of  negro  extraction,  it  was  scarcely  discernable, 
and  moreover  she  was  possessed  of  most  engaging  man 
ners.  Roch  entered  into  conversation  with  her,  in  the 
course  of  which  he  asked  if  his  friend  who  called  up  the 
day  before,  and  whom  he  described,  did  not  have  his 
picture  taken.  She  said  he  did,  and  that  she  had  one 
left,  which  was  not  a  very  good  one.  Roch  asked  leave 
to  look  at  it,  and  she  hunted  it  up  and  handed  it  to  him. 
He  immediately  recognized  it,  and  giving  her  a  five  dollar 
bill,  became  its  owner.  So  much  for  brass.  Thanking 
the  lady,  and  also  thanking  his  stars  that  the  proprietor 
of  the  gallery  was  out  when  he  called,  he  returned  to  the 
amphitheatre.  Maroney  came  out  and  went  to  the  hotel, 
where  they  both  took  dinner.  After  dinner  Maroney 
walked  up  and  down  the  reception  room,  pondering 
deeply  over  some  subject,  and  then  took  some  paper  and 
a  pencil  from  his  pocket.  Roch  watched  him  closely  as 
he  seated  himself  to  write,  and  concluded  that  he  was 
trying  to  disguise  his  hand-writing.  Maroney  finished 
and  folded  the  note,  and  taking  his  hat,  walked  out  on 
the  street.  As  soon  as  he  reached  the  sidewalk,  he  began 
to  limp  badly,  as  though  it  was  almost  impossible  for  him 
to  get  along.  "Strange,"  thought  Roch,  "he  cannot  have 
met  with  an  accident!"  In  a  short  time  a  colored  boy 


74  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

came  along.  Maroney  stopped  him,  talked  to  him  a 
moment,  then  gave  him  the  note  and  the  boy  ran  off, 
while  he  remained  in  the  same  place. 

What  would  Roch  now  not  have  given  to  have  been 
able  to  cut  himself  in  two,  leaving  one  part  of  himself  to 
watch  Maroney  while  the  other  followed  the  boy?  This, 
however,  being  one  of  the  few  things  that  he  could  not 
do,  he  was  obliged  to  let  the  boy  go  while  he  watched 
Maroney.  The  affair  seemed  to  have  come  to  the  stick 
ing  point.  Maroney's  face  showed  deep  anxiety,  and  his 
limping  was  all  a  sham.  The  boy  had  taken  a  note  to 
some  place,  but  where,  was  the  question. 

In  about  twenty  minutes  the  boy  returned  and  said 
something  to  Maroney,  but  what  it  was  Roch  could  not 
find  out.  Maroney  handed  the  boy  some  money  and  he 
immediately  ran  off,  while  the  former  dropped  his  limp, 
walked  to  the  hotel,  and  went  at  once  to  his  room. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

ROCH  walked  carelessly  past  the  door  of  Maroney's 
room  and  saw  him  busily  engrossed  in  packing  up. 
He  lost  no  time.  Where  Maroney  was  going  he  did  not 
know.  He  rushed  to  the  office,  paid  his  bill,  went  to  his 
room,  changed  his  clothes,  and  in  less  than  ten  minutes 
issued  from  the  hotel,  again  the  plodding  Dutchman. 
Alladin  with  his  wonderful  lamp,  could  not  have  brought 
about  a  much  more  rapid  transformation.  As  he  reached 
the  sidewalk,  Maroney  had  just  stepped  into  a  hack,  and 
he  heard  him  order  the  driver  to  get  to  the  steamboat 
landing  as  soon  as  possible.  Roch,  with  his  long  pipe 
and  old  satchel,  followed  on  behind,  and  the  citizens  he 
met  gazed  in  wonder  to  see  a  sleepy  Dutchman  travel  at 
such  a  rate. 

The  "Mary  Morrison,"  one  of  the  fast  boats  of  the 
river,  was  just  casting  off  from  the  wharf  as  they  arrived, 
and  they  had  barely  time  to  get  on  board.  Roch  had 
taken  up  his  old  quarters  in  the  steerage,  and  thoroughly 
enjoyed  the  beautiful  view  as  they  steamed  up  past  the 
famous  Crescent  City.  He  had  now  time  to  wipe  the 
sweat  from  his  brow,  and  wonder  what  place  Maroney 
was  going  to.  He  concluded  that  he  was  going  back  to 
Montgomery  by  way  of  Memphis.  True,  it  was  rather 
an  out  of  the  way  route,  but  such  seemed  to  be  the  sort 
that  Maroney  preferred.  He  could  not  tell  to  what  point 


76  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

Maroney  would  pay  his  fare,  but  as  Memphis  seemed  to 
be  the  objective  point,  he  took  a  through  second  class 
ticket  to  that  place.  The  first  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  of  the  journey  up  the  river  is  though  the  richest 
and  most  beautiful  part  of  Louisiana.  This  part  of  the 
river  is  known  as  the  coast,  and  is  lined  on  both  sides  by 
waving  fields  of  cane,  interspersed  with  orange  groves. 
Alligators  lie  basking  in  the  sun,  and  the  whole  scene 
speaks  of  the  tropics.  Beautiful  as  was  the  country,  it 
had  no  charms  for  Maroney.  His  mind  was  occupied 
with  other  thoughts,  and  he  paced  up  and  down  the  deck 
as  if  anxious  to  get  to  the  end  of  his  journey. 

All  went  quietly  until  they  reached  Natchez,  "  under  the 
hill,"  when  Roch  was  again  astonished  to  see  Maroney 's 
trunk  being  placed  on  the  wharf  boat.  He  could  not 
understand  this  move,  but  had  nothing  to  do  but  to 
follow.  Maroney  loitered  around  the  wharf-boat,  seem 
ing  to  have  no  business  to  attend  to,  but  when  the  Mor 
rison  steamed  up  the  river,  he  advanced  to  the  agent 
of  Jones'  Express,  had  a  brief  conversation  with  him, 
paid  him  some  money,  and  an  old  trunk  was  delivered  to 
him.  Maroney  did  not  seem  to  place  any  value  on  the 
trunk,  and  had  it  put  carelessly  along  with  his  other  bag 
gage.  Strange  indeed,  thought  Roch,  what  can  he  want 
with  that  old  trunk  ?  It  was  an  old  box,  painted  black, 
and  thickly  studded  with  nails.  It  was  a  shaky  looking 
affair,  and  did  not  look  as  if  it  would  stand  much  of  a 
chance  with  a  modern  "baggage  smasher."  It  had  some 
old  tags  pasted  on  it,  which  showed  where  it  had  been. 
One  which  was  partly  scraped  off,  read  Montgomery, 
another  Galveston,  and  still  another  New  Orleans.. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.  77 

There  was  nothing  to  show  that  it  was  of  any  conse 
quence,  and  Roch  looked  carelessly  at  it,  as  Maroney  had 
left  it  carelessly  on  the  wharf-boat,  along  with  his  other 
trunk,  and  sauntered  up  the  hill.  Maroney  put  up  at  the 
hotel,  still  leaving  his  baggage  in  charge  of  the  agent  of 
Jones's  Express, —  who  was  also  proprietor  of  the  wharf- 
boat. 

Roch  followed  Maroney  up  town,  but,  as  he  did  not 
know  when  the  boats  arrived  going  up  or  down  the  river, 
and  as  it  began  to  grow  dark,  he  concluded  he  had  better 
stay  on  the  wharf-boat  and  keep  track  of  the  luggage. 
Maroney  might  leave  at  any  hour  of  the  night,  as,  on  the 
Mississippi  it  is  not  an  uncommon  occurrence  for  an 
unexpected  boat  to  land  or  take  off  passengers  with  little 
or  no  delay,  even  at  the  dead  of  night.  So  he  got  some 
lunch,  and  lay  around  the  wharf-boat,  as  many  poor 
people  do  while  travelling.  Maroney  did  not  come  down 
during  the  night,  but  Roch  felt  perfectly  easy,  so  long  as 
he  kept  the  trunks  in  view. 

In  the  morning  a  steamer  came  along,  bound  down  the 
river.  Maroney  made  his  appearance,  but  paid  no  atten 
tion  to  the  poor  immigrant,  whom  he  considered  beneath 
his  notice.  He  had  his  trunks  placed  on  board,  and  took 
passage  for  New  Orleans.  Roch  was  all  amazement,  and 
could  not  understand  why  such  a  chase  should  have  been 
made  after  an  old  trunk.  He  was  inclined  to  think  that 
Maroney  must  have  had  some  business  with  the  store 
keeper  in  Natchez,  but  what  sort  of  business  he  could 
not  determine.  He  was  sure  something  had  been  done 
in  New  Orleans  or  at  Natchez.  It  might  have  been  with 


78  PINKEKl^ON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

the  ladies  on  the  hill,  or  with  the  negro  and  the  lame  foot. 
Whatever  it  was,  it  was  completely  covered  up. 

He  managed  to  telegraph  these  particulars  to  me,  at 
one  of  the  places  where  the  steamer  stopped,  and  I 
instructed  him  to  keep  right  on,  and  that  I  would  answer 
more  fully  in  time. 

On  arriving  in  New  Orleans,  Maroney  again  put  up  at 
the  City  Hotel,  while  Roch  went  to  a  neighboring  restau 
rant,  to  get  some  refreshments,  intending  afterwards  to 
change  his  clothes,  and  make  his  appearance  as  the  dash 
ing  Southerner.  He  had  just  finished  his  meal,  when,  on 
looking  over  to  the  City  Hotel,  he  saw  Maroney  getting 
into  a  carriage,  on  which  his  two  trunks  were  already 
placed.  He  rushed  out  as  Maroney  drove  off  in  the 
direction  of  the  depot  where  passengers  take  the  cars  for 
Pontchartrain,  and  then  go  by  steamer  to  Mobile. 

He  had  to  make  quick  time  again,  and  was  fortunate 
enough  to  secure  the  services  of  a  negro  drayman  who 
had  a  fast  horse.  With  this  assistance  he  got  to  the 
station  "on  time,"  and,  securing  a  second-class  ticket  to 
Mobile,  was  soon  away  on  another  route. 

After  reaching  Pontchartrain,  and  embarking  on  the 
steamer,  Maroney  seemed  happier  than  he  had  yet  been, 
and  walked  around  the  deck,  singing  and  whistling, 
apparently  overflowing  with  good  spirits.  As  his  spirits 
rose,  Roch's  fell  in  a  corresponding  degree.  He  was 
unable  to  understand  the  cause  of  this  change  ;  every 
thing  seemed  confused  to  him,  and  he  did  not  know  what 
to  do.  He  finally  concluded  that  Maroney  had  left 
Montgomery,  going  to  Atlanta,  Chattanooga,  Nashville, 
Memphis,  etc.,  merely  to  see  if  he  would  be  followed, 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.  79 

and  now,  finding  he  had  not  been,  he  was  returning  home 
in  a  perfectly  easy  frame  of  mind. 

So  much  at  least  had  been  done.  Roch  knew  that  all 
his  actions  had  met  with  my  approval.  I  was  the  respon 
sible  party,  and  if  I  was  satisfied,  he  was.  In  the  mean 
time,  I  was  unable  to  form  a  definite  opinion  as  to  the 
reason  for  the  change  which  had  evidently  taken  place  in 
Maroney.  There  was  no  denying  but  that  something 
had  happened  to  give  him  more  courage,  and  it  flashed 
through  my  mind  :  Has  he  got  the  money  ? 

I  thought  nothing  about  the  old  trunk,  as,  if  he  had 
had  anything  valuable  in  it,  he  would  not  have  left  it 
so  carelessly  exposed,  at  the  stations,  on  the  wharf- 
boat,  etc.  All  I  could  do  was  to  carry  out  my  old  plan  : 
"Watch  and  wait.  ' 

Roch,  on  the  journey  to  Mobile,  took  a  seat  on  this 
identical  trunk;  he  saw  nothing  suspicious  about  the  old 
thing,  which  was  not  even  locked,  but  tied  up  with  ropes. 
Had  it  entered  his  mind  that  the  trunk  contained  the 
money  he  was  after,  the  battle  would  have  been  a  short 
one.  But  he  knew  nothing,  positively  nothing,  which 
would  lead  him  to  suppose  that  this  was  the  case  ;  so  he 
had  nothing  to  do  but  to  wait,  and  wait  he  did. 

On  Saturday,  the  thirtieth  day  of  April,  the  steamer 
arrived  at  Mobile,  and  the  passengers  speedily  disem 
barked.  At  three  in  the  afternoon  a  steamer  started  up 
the  Alabama  river,  for  Montgomery,  and  on  this  boat 
Maroney  took  passage.  Among  the  passengers  going 
to  Montgomery  were  a  number  of  his  friends.  There 
were  many  ladies  among  them,  and  he  was  well  received 


80  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

by  all  of  them.     He  took  no  notice  of  his  baggage,  and 
his  trunks  lay  carelessly  amidst  a  pile  of  luggage. 

On  board  all  was  life  and  hilarity.  Fun  and  frolic  were 
the  order  of  the  day.  There  were  several  horse  fanciers 
on  board,  with  whom  he  was  acquainted,  and  he  got  into 
a  conversation  with  them,  his  spirits  rising  higher  and 
higher  still. 

When  the  boat  touched  at  Montgomery  he  sprang 
ashore,  where  he  was  welcomed  by  a  crowd  of  his  friends, 
and  gave  orders  to  Porter  to  have  his  trunks  taken  up  to 
the  hotel.  Porter,  during  his  absence,  had  been  appointed 
clerk  of  the  Exchange.  He  was  on  the  wharf  when 
Maroney  arrived,  and  shook  hands  with  him.  He  told 
him  he  was  now  at  the  Exchange  ;  that  it  was  the  best 
house  in  town,  and  that  Mr.  Floyd  would  be  glad  to  wel 
come  him  as  a  guest.  Maroney  was  pleased  to  hear  this, 
and  told  Porter  that  when  his  trunks  came  up  to  the 
house  he  would  give  him  some  splendid  cigars  to  try  — 
some  that  he  had  bought  on  his  trip.  Porter  saw  Roch, 
but  dared  not  speak  to  him. 

Roch  seeing  Maroney  placed  under  the  espionage  of 
Porter,  proceeded  to  his  Dutch  boarding-house  and  gave 
himself  a  thorough  cleansing. 

Porter  had  a  carriage  at  the  wharf,  which  Maronry  and 
he  entered,  and  drove  up  to  Patterson's.  They  took  a 
few  drinks  and  then  went  over  to  the  Exchange,  where 
they  arrived  just  as  Maroney's  trunks  came  up.  He 
directed  Porter  to  send  the  large  trunk  to  his  room,  but 
to  place  the  old  one  in  the  baggage  room,  and  to  mark  it 
plainly  with  his  name,  so  that  no  one  would  take  it  by 
mistake. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AMD  THE  DETECTIVE.      81 

In  the  evening  Maroney  and  Porter  stepped  over  to 
Patterson's  and  there  met  Charlie  May,  a  wealthy  harness- 
maker  and  a  very  prominent  man.  He  was  one  of  Ma- 
roney's  best  friends  and  was  so  convinced  of  his  inno 
cence  of  the  crime  he  was  charged  with  committing  that 
he  had  gone  on  his  bail-bond.  They  went  into  a  private 
room  and  had  a  social  chat,  interspersed  with  an  occa 
sional  drink.  Several  of  Maroney 's  friends  came  in  and 
joined  the  party. 

Maroney  spoke  of  the  splendid  cigars  he  had  bought 
on  his  journey,  and  told  the  assembled  company  that 
when  he  opened  his  trunk  he  would  give  them  a  chance 
to  prove  their  quality.  All  went  pleasantly  with  him, 
and  Porter  was  unable  to  notice  any  change,  with  the 
exception  that  he  was  perhaps  a  little  livelier  than  before. 

He  recounted  the  incidents  of  his  journey,  the  routes 
he  had  taken,  the  places  where  he  had  stopped,  etc.,  and 
Porter  found  it  varied  little  from  the  truth.  He  alluded 
to  the  girls  he  had  visited  in  Chattanooga,  said  the  stock 
was  splendid,  described  the  situation  of  the  house  and 
advised  them  to  pay  it  a  visit  if  they  ever  went  to  the 
town.  He  spoke  of  the  fine  horses  he  had  seen  at  Cook's 
livery  stable  and  of  Cook's  being  a  fine  fellow.  He  also 
spoke  of  inspecting  the  live  stock  in  the  stables  at  Nash 
ville  and  at  the  pleasant  dwelling  at  Natchez,  on  the  hill, 
and  wound  up  by  declaring  he  had  had  a  splendid  time, 
and  ordering  in  Champagne  for  all  the  party. 

In  the  morning,  after  breakfast,  he  told  Porter  to  have 

the  old  trunk  sent  up  to  his  room  and  he  would   get  the 

cigars  he  had  spoken  about.     Porter  ordered  the  colored 

boy  to  bring  the  trunk  up,  and  at  Maroney 's  request  went 

6 


82  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

to  the  room  with  him  to  assist  in  the  opening.  When  the 
trunk  was  brought  up  the  negro  and  Porter  took  off  the 
ropes  and  Maroney  carelessly  opened  it.  There  were 
four  boxes  of  cigars  in  it.  Maroney  opened  one  of  them, 
took  a  handful  of  cigars  from  it,  gave  a  number  of  them 
to  Porter  to  try,  and  when  Porter  had  lit  one,  said : 

"What  do  you  think  of  that?  don't  you  call  that  a 
splendid  cigar?  " 

Porter  admitted  it  was  an  unusually  fine-flavored  weed. 
Maroney  then  put  some,  from  each  of  the  boxes,  into  his 
pockets,  and  said  he  was  going  to  drive  out  with  "  Yankee 
Mary." 

Porter  having  no  good  excuse  for  remaining  longer, 
returned  to  the  office,  whence  he  was  soon  recalled  by 
Maroney,  who  requested  him  to  have  the  trunk  roped  up 
and  placed  in  the  garret,  where  unclaimed  baggage  was 
usually  stored.  While  this  was  being  done,  Porter  ob 
served  the  four  cigar  boxes  lying  carelessly  on  the  bureau. 
Shortly  after  he  saw  Maroney  and  Charlie  May  pass 
rapidly  up  the  street  behind  "Yankee  Mary-" 


CHAPTER  X. 

WE  will  now  return  to  the  North,  where  we  left  Mrs. 
Maroney  enjoying  herself  as  the  guest  of  Mr. 
Moore.  Green  shadowed  her  closely,  and  she  did  not 
make  a  move  that  was  not  reported  to  me.  I  thought  it 
best  to  see  Mrs.  Maroney  myself  while  she  was  North, 
and  proceeded  to  Philadelphia  for  that  purpose,  bringing 
George  H.  Bangs,  my  General  Superintendent,  with  me. 
I  had  concluded  to  give  Mr.  Bangs  full  charge  of  all  the 
operatives  employed  in  the  case.  He  was  to  keep  fully 
informed  of  all  the  movements  of  Maroney  and  his  wife, 
receive  daily  reports  from  all  the  operatives,  then  daily 
report  to  me,  and  I  would  direct  him  how  to  proceed,  and 
he  would  transmit  the  orders  to  the  operatives.  I  had 
many  other  cases  under  way,  and  could  not  devote  all  my 
time  to  this  one.  Bangs  was  to  remain  in  Philadelphia, 
where  all  the  operatives  would  send  their  reports.  He 
was  a  young  man  of  great  abilities;  he  had  been  pro 
moted  from  the  ranks,  and  I  had  full  confidence  in  his 
capacity.  He  was  cautious — -sometimes  a  little  too  much 
so,  or  more  so  than  I  would  be,  but  still  with  firmness 
enough  to  carry  him  through  all  emergencies. 

The  reader  knows  that  I  was  determined  to  win.  The 
Adams  Express  Company  had  furnished  me  with  all  the 
backing  I  wanted,  and  under  such  favorable  auspices,  I 
said,  "Win,  I  must!  Win,  I  shall!  "  I  did  not  doubt 


84  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

that   Maroney  was   the   thief.      The   question   now   was 
How  can  I  find  the  money  ? 

Philadelphia,  at  that  time,  was  where  the  main  offices 
of  the  Adams  Express  were  located,  and  the  Vice-Presi- 
dent  was  in  charge.  1  held  a  consultation  with  him,  and 
he  advised  us  to  remain  in  Philadelphia  and  see  Mrs. 
Maroney ;  and  while  the  interview  was  progressing,  a 
dispatch  came  to  me,  from  Green,  stating  that  Mrs.  Ma 
roney  had  left  New  York  for  that  place.  We  were  all 
anxious  to  see  her,  but  I  concluded  to  send  Bangs  alone 
to  the  station,  as  different  persons  had  seen  us  with 
the  Vice-President,  and  it  might  excite  comment  if  we 
all  went. 

The  train  arrived  in  Camden,  opposite  to  Philadelphia, 
at  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  Bangs,  who  was  wait 
ing,  had  Green  point  Mrs.  Maroney  out  to  him.  He  got 
a  good  look  at  her  as  Flora  and  she  stepped  into  a  car 
riage.  She  was  a  medium  sized,  rather  slender  brunette, 
with  black  flashing  eyes,  black  hair,  thin  lips,  and  a  rather 
voluptuously  formed  bust. 

Bangs  and  Green  followed  her  to  the  Washington 
House,  on  Chestnut  street,  above  Eighth,  where  she  and 
Flora  went  into  the  reception  room.  She  sent  for  the 
landlord,  who  assigned  them  a  suite  of  rooms,  and  they 
retired. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Maroney  was  observed  to 
post  a  letter  while  in  Memphis.  Roch  managed  to  see 
the  address  as  it  lay  on  the  rack  in  the  hotel,  and  found 
it  directed  to  Mrs.  M.  Cox,  Jenkintown,  Montgomery 
County,  Penn.  When  I  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  I  con 
cluded  it  would  be  a  good  plan  to  find  out  who  Mrs.  M. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   85 

Cox  was,  and  accordingly  detailed  Mr.  Fox  to  procure 
the  information.  "  His  orders  were  :  Go  slow  ;  be  careful ; 
be  sure  not  to  excite  any  suspicion."  Mr.  Fox  had  been 
a  watch  and  clock  maker,  and  was  a  thorough  hand  at 
his  trade.  I  provided  him  with  a  carpet-sack  and  the 
necessary  tools,  and  also  a  few  silver  watches,  of  no  great 
value,  which  I  purchased  at  a  pawn  broker's.  Thus 
equipped  as  an  itinerant  clock  repairer,  and  having  a  few 
watches  to  "  dicker  "  with,  he  started  on  foot  for  Jenkin- 
town,  a  small  place  twelve  miles  from  Philadelphia.  He 
sauntered  slowly  along  with  his  satchel  over  his  shoulder, 
going  into  a  farmhouse  occasionally,  and  finally  reached 
Jenkintown.  Here  he  passed  from  house  to  house, 
enquiring  if  they  had  any  clocks  that  needed  repairing. 
As  he  was  a  good  hand,  and  his  charges  most  reasonable, 
only  twenty-five  or  fifty  cents  for  each  clock,  he  soon  had 
doctored  several.  He  was  of  a  talkative  nature,  and 
drew  from  the  old  gossips  whom  he  encountered  on  his 
rounds,  full  descriptions  of  the  members  of  different  fam 
ilies  who  lived  in  or  around  Jenkintown ;  and  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  he  was  much  better  posted  as  to  their 
business  and  weaknesses  than  they  were  themselves. 

Toward  evening,  having  done  a  good  day's  work,  he 
went  to  the  tavern,  kept  by  a  man  named  Stemples,  and 
made  arrangements  to  stop  with  him  while  in  town.  He 
found  that  a  man  named  Cox  lived  in  Jenkintown,  and 
that  he  was  a  carpenter  by  trade.  During  the  evening 
he  was  much  surprised  to  meet  Cox  at  the  tavern.  Fox 
was  a  genial  fellow,  and,  after  a  paying  day's  work  always 
made  himself  agreeable  to  those  whom  he  met  at  the 
tavern  where  he  put  up.  He  had  the  knack  of  getting 


86  PI.YA'EX TON 'S  DETECTIVE  S TORIES. 

easily  acquainted,  and  soon  was  on  the  best  of  terms  with 
Cox  and  his  friends.  He  did  not  force  the  acquaintance, 
but  during  the  evening  paid  much  more  attention  to  Cox's 
friends  than  to  Cox. 

Fox  went  through  about  the  same  routine  the  next  day, 
and  toward  evening,  finding  that  he  had  made  a  dollar 
and  a  half,  he  packed  up  his  tools  and  went  up  to  the 
tavern.  Here  he  found  Cox  and  his  friends  again.  He 
told  them  how  successful  he  had  been,  and  received  their 
hearty  congratulations  —  they  feeling  that  there  was  no 
doubt  but  that  they  would  be  gainers  by  his  good  fortune. 
Cox  and  his  friends  joined  in  having  a  good  time  at  the 
tinker's  expense,  and  pronounced  him  the  "  prince  of 
good  fellows ;  "  though  I  much  fear,  had  Fox  suddenly 
importuned  them  for  a  small  loan,  they  would  have 
changed  their  tune ;  but  as  he  did  not,  "  all  went  merry 
as  a  marriage  bell." 

Cox  had  two  bosom  friends  —  Horton  and  Barclay. 
They  were  held  together  by  ties  stronger  than  those  which 
bind  kindred  —  they  were  fellow-topers,  and  could  drink 
about  equally  deep.  They  generally  concluded  an  even 
ing's  entertainment  in  somewhat  the  following  manner : 

Cox  would  say,  "  Hie,  Barclay,  you'r  drunk  ;  better  go 
home,  hie." 

Barclay  would  insist  that  he  was  never  more  sober  in 
his  life,  but  that  Horton  and  Cox  were  "pos-(hic)-tively- 
(hic)-beasley."  All  three  would  then  start  off,  bent  on 
seeing  one  another  safely  home,  and,  like  the  blind  lead 
ing  the  blind,  generally  fall  into  the  ditch.  Three  irate 
women  would  then  make  their  appearance  on  the  scene, 
and  they  would  each  be  led  home,  declaring  they  were 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   87 

never  more  sober  in  their  lives.  Fox  found  that  Cox  was 
known  by  his  friends  as  Josh.  Cox,  and  he  was  what 
might  be  called  a  lazy  loafer,  as  were  also  his  friends. 
Horton  and  Barclay.  Fox  did  not  try  to  get  any  informa 
tion  from  Cox,  but  got  all  he  possibly  could  from  his 
friends,  Horton  and  Barclay,  who  proved  easy  talkers  and 
kept  nothing  back.  He  now  concluded  it  was  a  good 
time  to  find  out  about  Cox.  He  discovered  in  the  course 
of  the  evening  that  Josh,  had  a  clock  that  needed  repairs 
but  did  not  care  to  go  to  the  expense  of  getting  it  fixed. 
So  he  said  :  "Josh.,  you  are  a  pretty  good  sort  of  a  man, 
and  I'll  tell  you  what  I  will  do  for  you;  I  am  not  going  to 
work  in  the  morning,  and  so  I  will  come  down  to  your 
house  in  the  course  of  the  forenoon  and  fix  up  your  clock 
for  you  and  not  charge  you  a  cent  for  the  job."  Cox  was 
so  much  pleased  at  this  liberal  offer  that  he  took  another 
drink  at  Fox's  expense  and  went  home  highly  delighted. 
In  the  morning  Cox  called  for  Fox,  and  again  drinking  at 
his  expense,  conducted  him  to  his  house  and  gave  him 
the  clock  to  repair.  Fox  now  saw  Mrs.  Cox  for  the  first 
time.  She  seemed  a  very  civil  woman  and  a  great  talker. 
She  was  of  middle  stature,  with  black  hair  and  eyes,  and 
dark  complexion.  When  I  received  this  description,  I 
immediately  said  she  must  be  a  relative  of  Mrs.  Ma- 
roney's,  and  so  she  eventually  proved.  In  the  course  of 
the  conversation  Fox  gleaned  that  Mrs.  Cox  had  some 
relatives  living  in  Philadelphia,  which  was  nothing  aston 
ishing,  and  he  got  very  little  information  from  her.  Cox 
was  out  of  employment,  but  expected  work  soon  ;  his 
house  was  commodious  and  very  neatly  kept,  and  Mrs. 
Cox  seemed  a  good  housekeeper.  Having  finished  the 


88  /' INKER  TON 'S  DETEC TI VE  S TORIES, 

repairs  to  the  clock,  Fox  returned  to  the  tavern,  where 
he  found  Barclay  and  Horton,  and  soon  had  the  glasses 
circulating.  The  pleasant  liquor  caused  all  the  parties 
to  grow  familiar,  and  Fox  was  regaled  with  many  a  rare 
bit  of  scandal.  He  finally  spoke  of  the  Coxes  from  whom 
he  had  just  returned,  and  was  at  once  given  their  history 
so  far  as  it  was  known  in  Jenkintown.  The  family  had 
been  in  the  town  about  four  years,  and  had  moved  there 
from  Morrisville,  N.  J.  Josh,  was  not  inclined  to  work, 
and  just  managed  to  scrape  enough  money  together  to 
live  on.  They  had  three  children,  and  Mrs.  Cox  was  a 
native  of  Philadelphia.  Fox  concluded,  from  all  he  saw 
and  heard,  that  the  people  of  Morrisville  would  be  able 
to  give  him  full  information  of  the  antecedents  of  the 
Coxes,  and  came  into  Philadelphia  on  the  following  day 
to  get  instructions.  I  was  perfectly  satisfied  with  what  he 
had  done  so  far,  and  on  the  next  day  sent  him  to  Morris 
ville.  Fox  plied  his  trade  in  Morrisville  with  great  suc 
cess,  and  soon  got  acquainted  with  many  of  its  inhabit 
ants.  His  disguise  was  a  splendid  one  to  travel  with,  as 
at  that  time  the  clock-maker  was  welcomed  everywhere, 
and  while  engaged  at  his  work  would  amuse  his  patrons 
with  thrilling  stories  of  his  adventures,  or  with  the  details 
of  city  life.  In  this  way  Fox  got  acquainted  with  many 
people  who  knew  the  Coxes  when  they  were  living  at 
Morrisville,  and  they  unanimously  gave  Josh,  the  charac 
ter  of  a  "ne'er  do  weel,"  although  there  was  nothing 
against  him  but  his  laziness.  Josh,  had  lived  for  three 
years  in  Morrisville,  and  but  very  little  was  known  of  his 
previous  life.  His  wife  was  known  as  a  hard-working 
woman,  and  that  was  all  that  could  be  learned  about  her. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  A.VD  THE  DETECTIVE.     89 

Fox  discovered,  incidentally,  that  Josh,  had  a  brother 
living  at  Centreville,  near  Camden,  in  the  State  of  New 
Jersey.  After  a  while  he  got  around  there,  travelling  all 
the  way  by  the  wagon  road,  and  occasionally  repairing  a 
clock  on  the  way.  It  would  not  do  while  assuming  his 
present  character  to  travel  by  rail. 

On  getting  to  Centreville  he  at  once  proceeded  with  his 
"dickering,"  being  ready  to  either  mend  a  clock  or  trade 
a  watch.  He  found  there  was  a  Jim  Cox  in  town  who 
had  a  clock  to  fix,  so  he  went  to  his  house  and  got  the  job. 
He  entered  into  conversation  with  Jim  while  engaged  in 
repairing  the  clock,  but  found  him  a  surly,  uncommunica 
tive,  unsocial  man,  but  Fox  was  a  thoroughly  good  fellow 
and  did  not  mind  an  occasional  rebuff.  So  he  took  up 
the  conversation,  explained  what  was  the  matter  with  the 
clock,  gave  an  interesting  description  on  the  works  of 
clocks  in  general,  and  finally  partially  thawed  Jim  out. 
"By  the  by,"  said  Fox,  "I  repaired  a  clock  for  a  man  of 
your  name  in  Jenkintown  ;  it  was  in  a  very  bad  condition, 
but  I  fixed  it  up  as  good  as  new ;  so  I  will  this  one.  Do 
you  know  this  Cox?  they  call  him  Josh.  Cox. 

''  Oh,  yes  !  "  laughed  Jim,  "  he  is  a  brother  of  mine!  " 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it !  "  remarked  Fox,  "  he  is  a  mighty 
fine  fellow !  His  wife  is  a  very  superior  woman.  Let 
me  see,  who  was  it  her  sister  married  down  South  ?  She 
has  a  sister  there,  hasn't  she  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Jim. 

"Where?  "  enquired  Fox,  as  he  put  a  pin  in  the  clock. 

"  I  don't  remember  the  name  of  the  place ;  used  to 
know  it.  Her  husband  is  agent  for  the  Adams  Express 


90  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  S'l  OKIES. 

at —  at  —  yes  —  Montgomery!  that's  it,  Montgomery! 
Don't  remember  her  husband's  name." 

"You  are  like  me  in  having  a  bad  memory  for  names," 
said  Fox,  and  then,  having  got  the  information  he  wanted, 
he  turned  the  conversation  to  other  subjects,  all  the  time 
keeping  busily  engaged  at  his  work. 

He  made  a  first  class  job  of  the  clock,  so  that  no  en 
quiries  should  be  afterwards  instituted,  and  collecting  his 
bill,  slowly  wended  his  way  to  Camden.  From  Camden 
he  crossed  the  river  to  Philadelphia  and  reported  to  me 
at  the  Merchants'  Hotel.  Bangs  and  I  were  seated  in  a 
private  room  when  Fox  came  in.  After  hearing  his  report 
I  turned  to  Bangs  and  said  : 

"The  plot  thickens!  Every  day  we  are  nearing  suc 
cess  !  We  have  the  woman  treed  at  last,  and  in  the  North, 
among  our  friends  !  Depend  upon  it  we  shall  have  the 
money  ere  long!  " 


CHAPTER    XI. 

ON  Saturday  I  removed  to  the  Washington  House, 
as  Mrs.  Maroney  was  still  there.  I  found  she  did 
not  go  out  much,  seeming  to  prefer  to  remain  in  her 
room  with  Flora.  Sunday  morning  I  went  to  the  break 
fast  room  with  the  determination  of  seeing  her,  but 
although  I  waited  and  waited,  she  did  not  come,  and  I 
afterwards  found  that  she  had  taken  her  breakfast  in  her 
room. 

I  loitered  about  the  house  till  after  twelve,  noon,  at 
which  time  I  was  standing  near  the  main  entrance  when  I 
noticed  a  carriage  drive  up  and  stop.  A  gentleman 
alighted  and  walked  into  the  hotel.  In  about  twenty 
minutes  Mrs.  Maroney  appeared  escorted  by  the  gentle 
man —  a  tall,  handsome  man,  about  forty-five  years  old  — 
entered  the  carriage  with  him  and  was  driven  rapidly  off, 
unaccompanied  by  Flora. 

I  was  completely  nonplussed,  as  she  was  gone  almost 
before  I  knew  she  was  there.  As  it  was  mid-day  and  in 
the  heart  of  the  city,  it  would  not  do  for  me  to  run  after 
them,  as  I  would  soon  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  police  by 
having  the  cry  of  stop  thief  raised  after  me.  I  felt  very 
much  like  following  and  standing  my  chances,  as  at  that 
time  I  was  young  and  supple,  but  before  I  could  come  to 
a  conclusion  the  carriage  was  whirled  around  the  corner 
of  Tenth  street  and  lost  to  view. 


92  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

I  loitered  around  for  some  time  and  then  started 
towards  my  room.  As  I  reached  the  head  of  the  stairs, 
I  saw  a  little  girl  playing  in  the  hall,  and,  from  the  descrip 
tion  I  had  received,  concluded  that  she  must  be  Flora. 
As  she  came  past  me  I  patted  her  gently  on  the  head 
and  calling  her  a  sweet  little  girl,  had  a  few  seconds  con 
versation  with  her.  Glancing  down  the  stair-way,  I  saw 
a  lady  looking  out  from  the  door  of  the  reception  room  : 

"Oh,  my  dear!  "  said  I,  "there  is  your  ma;  she  seems 
to  oe  looking  for  you  !  " 

"That  ain't  my  ma!"  she  answered.  "My  ma  has 
gone  for  a  drive  with  Mr.  Hastenbrook  !  " 

"  Oh,  indeed  !     Where  is  she  going?  " 

"She's  gone  to  Manayunk  !     You  can't  catch  me!  " 

And  Flora,  who  was  full  of  fun,  darted  down  the  hall. 

I  had  gained  a  point  and  I  hurried  to  the  Merchants' 
Hotel,  saw  Bangs,  posted  him,  and  started  him  off  in  a 
carriage  for  Manayunk  to  note  the  actions  of  Mrs.  Ma- 
roney  and  her  escort.  Bangs  soon  had  them  under  his 
eye  and  was  enabled  to  get  a  good,  full  look  at  her  escort, 
Mr.  Hastenbrook.  He  found,  afterwards,  that  Mr.  Has 
tenbrook  was  the  head  of  one  of  the  largest  shirt  manu 
factories  in  the  city.  He  carried  on  an  extensive  business 
with  the  South,  and,  outside  of  his  business,  was  known 
as  a  great  ladies'  man.  He  was  very  gallant  to  Mrs. 
Maroney,  and  Bangs  concluded,  from  their  actions,  that 
they  also  "loved  not  wisely." 

At  five  o'clock  they  returned  and  Hastenbrook  took 
supper  at  the  Washington  House.  At  supper  I  had  a 
good  full  view  of  them,  but  neither  of  them  noticed  me, 
as  I  was  dressed  in  coarse,  rough  clothes  —  a  common 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   93 

occurrence  with  me.  She  little  thought  how  closely  I 
held  her  fate  in  my  hands.  Mr.  Hastenbrook  remained 
in  her  room  till  after  midnight,  Flora  having  gone  to  bed 
long  before  he  left. 

On  Monday  morning  I  left  her  in  charge  of  Green  and 
went  to  talk  over  matters  with  the  General  Superintend 
ent.  Suddenly  Green  burst  in  upon  us  and  said  that 
Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora  had  gone  to  the  North  Pennsyl 
vania  station. 

I  was  much  annoyed  at  his  having  left  her  to  report  and 
ordered  him  to  go  as  quickly  as  possible  to  the  station. 
If  she  had  gone  he  must  follow  her  on  the  next  train  and 
get  off  at  Jenkintown.  I  described  Cox  and  his  residence 
and  told  him  to  watch  and  see  if  he  could  not  find  her 
somewhere  in  the  neighborhood. 

I  told  the  Vice-President  that  I  did  not  doubt  but  that 
Mrs.  Maroney  knew  the  particulars  of  the  robbery,  and  I 
had  some  idea  that  she  had  the  money  with  her.  Jenkin 
town  was  a  small  place,  where  she  felt  she  could  hide 
securely,  and  remain  covered  up  for  an  indefinite  time. 
There,  almost  directly  under  our  noses,  the  money  might 
be  concealed. 

I  mentioned  the  necessity  of  having  a  "  shadow  "  sent 
down  to  Jenkintown,  to  watch  all  her  movements,  and  if 
she  moved  to  follow  her,  as  we  must  know  all  she  did.  I 
mentioned  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  get  into  the  good 
graces  of  the  postmaster  at  Jenkintown,  so  that  we  could 
tell  where  all  the  letters  she  received  were  post  marked, 
and  to  whom  her  letters  were  directed. 

In  regard  to  Mr.  Hastenbrook,  I  thought  his  attentions 
were  those  of  a  "  free  lover,"  but  that  if  he  was  seen  with 


94  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

her  again  I  would  have  him  watched.  I  drew  the  Vice- 
President's  attention  to  the  benefits  which  would  result 
from  putting  a  female  detective  on,  to  become  acquainted 
with  Mrs.  Maroney  at  Jenkintown,  as  she  would  undoubt 
edly  be  the  best  one  to  draw  her  out. 

At  that  time  I  had  in  my  employ,  and  at  the  head  of 
my  establishment,  one  of  the  greatest  female  detectives 
who  ever  carried  a  case  to  a  successful  conclusion.  She 
had  been  in  my  employ  for  two  years,  and  had  worked  up 
the  cases  given  her  in  an  astonishingly  able  manner,  prov 
ing  herself  a  woman  of  strong,  clear  discernment.  As 
she  takes  a  prominent  part  in  bringing  to  light. the  facts 
which  follow,  and  in  clearing  away  the  mystery  that  over 
hung  the  disappearance  of  the  forty  thousand  dollars,  a 
short  description  of  her  may  not  prove  uninteresting. 

Two  years  prior  to  the  time  of  which  I  am  now  writing, 
I  was  seated  one  afternoon  in  my  private  office,  pondering 
deeply  over  some  matters,  and  arranging  various  plans, 
when  a  lady  was  shown  in.  She  was  above  the  medium 
height,  slender,  graceful  in  her  movements,  and  perfectly 
self-possessed  in  her  manner.  I  invited  her  to  take  a 
seat,  and  then  observed  that  her  features,  although  not 
what  would  be  called  handsome,  were  of  a  decidedly 
intellectual  cast.  Her  eyes  were  very  attractive,  being 
dark  blue,  and  filled  with  fire.  She  had  a  broad,  honest 
face,  which  would  cause  one  in  distress  instinctively  to 
select  her  as  a  confidante,  in  whom  to  confide  in  time  of 
sorrow,  or  from  whom  to  seek  consolation.  She  seemed 
possessed  of  the  masculine  attributes  of  firmness  and 
decision,  but  to  have  brought  all  her  faculties  under  com 
plete  control. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.      95 

In  a  very  pleasant  tone  she  introduced  herself  as  Mrs. 
Kate  Warne,  stating  that  she  was  a  widow,  and  that  she 
had  come  to  inquire  whether  I  would  not  employ  her  as 
a  detective. 

At  this  time  female  'detectives  were  unheard  of.  1  told 
her  it  was  not  the  custom  to  employ  women  as  detectives, 
but  asked  her  what  she  thought  she  could  do. 

She  replied  that  she  could  go  and  worm  out  secrets  in 
many  places  to  which  it  was  impossible  for  male  detectives 
to  gain  access.  She  had  evidently  given  the  matter  much 
study,  and  gave  many  excellent  reasons  why  she  could  be 
of  service. 

I  finally  became  convinced  that  it  would  be  a  good  idea 
to  employ  her.  True,  it  was  the  first  experiment  of  the 
sort  that  had  ever  been  tried  ;  but  we  live  in  a  progressive 
age,  and  in  a  progressive  country.  I  therefore  determined 
at  least  to  try  it,  feeling  that  Mrs.  Warne  was  a  splendid 
subject  with  whom  to  begin. 

I  told  her  to  call  the  next  day,  and  I  would  consider 
the  matter,  and  inform  her  of  my  decision.  The  more  I 
thought  of  it,  the  more  convinced  I  became  that  the 
idea  was  a  good  one,  and  I  determined  to  employ  her. 
At  the  time  appointed  she  called.  I  entered  into  an 
agreement  with  her,  and  soon  after  gave  a  case  into 
her  charge.  She  succeeded  far  beyond  my  utmost  expec 
tations,  and  I  soon  found  her  an  invaluable  acquisition  to 
my  force. 

The  Vice -President  placed  such  full  reliance  in  me  that 
I  had  no  hesitation  in  giving  him  the  above  sketch  of 
Kate  Warne,  and  advising  that  she  be  sent  to  Jenkintown, 
accompanied  by  a  young  lady  who  should  have  no  direct 


96  P > A' KERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORJES. 

connection  with  the  case,  but  simply  act  as  Kate's  com 
panion  and  friend.  I  knew  this  would  greatly  increase 
the  expenses,  but,  as  he  well  knew,  we  were  now  dealing 
with  an  uncommonly  smart  man  and  woman,  and  in  order 
to  succeed,  we  must  be  sharp  indeed  ! 

As  I  had  previously  said,  when  a  person  has  a  secret, 
he  must  find  some  one  in  whom  to  confide,  and  talk  the 
subject  over  with  him.  In  this  case  Maroney  had  evi 
dently  confided  the  secret  of  the  robbery  to  his  wife,  and 
now,  while  they  were  apart,  was  the  time  to  draw  it  out. 
What  was  wanted  was  a  person  who  could  ingratiate  her 
self  into  the  confidence  of  Mrs.  Maroney,  become  her 
bosom  friend,  and  so.  eventually,  be  sure  of  learning  the 
secret  of  her  overwrought  mind,  by  becoming  her  special 
confidante. 

I  also  suggested  the  propriety  of  placing  a  handsome, 
gentlemanly  man  at  Jenkintown,  who  should  be  provided 
with  a  span  of  horses  and  a  handsome  carriage,  and 
deport  himself  generally  as  a  gentleman  of  leisure.  His 
duties  would  be  to  get  up  a  flirtation  with  Mrs.  Maroney, 
prevail  on  her  to  drive  out  with  him,  and,  if  possible, 
entice  her  to  quiet,  little  fish-suppers,  where  he  could  ply 
her  with  champagne,  and,  under  its  exhilarating  influence, 
draw  from  her  portions  of  her  secret.  A  woman  of  Mrs. 
Maroney's  stamp,  while  separated  from  her  husband, 
would  most  likely  desire  gentlemen's  company,  and  as 
she,  like  most  of  her  class,  would  put  up  with  none  but 
the  handsomest,  it  was  necessary  to  select  as  fine  a  look 
ing  man  to  be  her  wooer  as  could  be  found.  She  seemed 
to  have  already  provided  herself  with  a  lover,  in  the  per- 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.     91 

son  of  Hastenbrook,  and  it  was  necessary  to  get  some 
one  able  to  "cut  him  out." 

The  company  had  a  gentleman  in  their  employ,  named 
De  Forest,  whom  I  thought  admirably  adapted  for  this 
purpose,  and  if  the  Vice-President  would  allow  me,  I 
would  assign  to  him  the  task  of  becoming  Mrs.  Maroney's 
lover.  The  instructions  I  would  give  him  would  be  few 
and  simple,  and  he  need  know  nothing  of  the  case,  fur 
ther  than  that  he  was  to  go  to  Jenkintown  with  a  carriage 
and  span  of  horses,  make  himself  acquainted  with  Mrs. 
Maroney,  and  report  daily  all  that  took  place. 

I  had  already  given  Mr.  Bangs  entire  charge  of  the 
detectives  employed  in  the  case,  so  that  he  would  remain 
in  Philadelphia,  while  I  would  keep  up  a  constant  com 
munication  with  him  by  telegraph  and  mail. 

The  Vice-President  coincided  with  me  in  all  my  plans, 
and  said  the  Adams  Express  were  going  to  let  me  have 
my  own  way,  and  that  they  had  unbounded  confidence  in 
me.  I  felt  that  their  placing  such  entire  confidence  in 
a  young  man  like  me  was  indeed  flattering,  and  I  was 
determined  to  prove  to  them  that  their  confidence  was  not 
misplaced.  Having  made  all  necessary  arrangements  in 
Philadelphia,  I  left  for  Chicago  to  prepare  Mrs.  Warne 
and  her  friend  for  the  case. 

De  Forest  was  given  the  necessary  instructions,  and 
drove  out  to  Jenkintown  with  his  team.  He  was  a  man 
about  thirty-five  years  old,  five  feet  eleven  inches  in  height, 
remarkably  good  looking,  with  long  black  hair,  and  full 
beard  and  mustache,  and  in  Philadelphia  he  was  known 
as  a  perfect  "lady-killer." 
7 


98  PINKER  TON ' S  DE  TE CTIVE  S TORIES. 

On  getting  into  Jenkintown  he  put  up  at  the  tavern, 
and  made  arrangements  to  spend  the  summer.  He  then 
drove  back  to  Philadelphia,  reported  to  the  Vice-President 
and  Bangs,  got  his  trunk,  and  drove  back  to  Jenkinfown. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

DE  FOREST  loitered  around  Jenkintown,  and  found 
that  a  gentleman  who  owned  beautifully  laid  out 
grounds  allowed  the  public  to  frequent  them  at  certain 
times,  so  long  as  they  did  no  damage  to  the  walks  or 
the  flowers.  The  garden  was  a  charming  place,  and  Mrs. 
Maroney  and  Flora  would  often  pass  the  morning  in 
strolling  through  it.  De  Forest  discovered  this,  and  made 
the  grounds  a  place  of  constant  resort.  The  first  day  or 
two,  as  he  passed  Mrs.  Maroney  and  her  daughter,  he 
would  politely  raise  his  hat  to  them.  Then  he  would 
meet  Flora  as  she  ran  around  the  grounds,  and  by  paying 
her  little  attentions,  soon  caused  the  mother's  heart  to 
warm  toward  him,  and  made  the  daughter  the  medium  of 
forming  the  mother's  acquaintance.  At  the  end  of  three 
or  four  days  Mrs.  Maroney  remarked  to  Mrs.  Cox : 
"What  a  fine  man  Mr.  De  Forest  is  !  "  All  worked  well. 
When  she  went  to  Philadelphia,  Green,  who  was  shad 
owing  her,  entirely  unknown  to  De  Forest,  found  that  she 
frequented  a  famous  restaurant  on  Eighth  street,  where 
she  met  Mr.  Hastenbrook.  In  the  evening,  on  her  return 
to  Jenkintown,  she  always  met  De  Forest  and  strolled 
around  with  him.  What  with  the  gallant  Hastenbrook, 
with  his  splendid  mustache,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  sen 
timental  De  Forest,  with  his  long  hair  and  full  beard,  on 
the  other,  she  had  her  hands  full,  and  felt  that  her  lot  was 


100  PINKERTON^S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

cast  in  pleasant  places.  We  will  leave  her  to  enjoy  her 
self,  and  turn  our  attention  to  Chicago. 

On  my  arrival,  I  selected  Mr.  Rivers  as  the  best  man  to 
go  to  Jenkintown,  and  lie  quietly  in  wait,  keeping  a  sharp 
lookout  on  the  movements  of  Mrs.  Maroney.  He  was 
born  and  brought  up  in  Philadelphia,  and  was  well 
acquainted  with  it  and  the  surrounding  country.  I  gave 
him  full,  clear  instructions  as  to  the  part  he  was  to  per 
form  in  this  drama  of  real  life,  and  he  started  the  same 
day  for  Philadelphia>  where  he  was  to  report  to  Mr. 
Bangs.  I  also  saw  Kate  Warne,  told  her  I  wanted  her  to 
make  a  trip,  and  to  get  ready  as  soon  as  possible.  She 
was  also  to  get  a  Miss  Johnson  to  be  her  companion. 

In  the  morning  she  came  to  me  for  instructions.  I 
gave  her  a  full  history  of  the  case,  and  of  all  the  steps 
that  had  been  taken  up  to  the  time  ;  described  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Maroney,  stated  that  I  thought  they  were  not  mar 
ried,  and,  so  far  as  pomp  and  splash  made  fine  society, 
they  frequented  it.  I  then  said  :  "  You  remember  Jules 
Imbert,  of  Bills  of  Exchange  notoriety?" 

She  answered,  with  a  smile,  that  she  remembered  him 
well. 

"Then,"  said  I,  "you  had  better  assume  to  be  his  wife. 
Mrs.  Maroney  will  most  likely  wish  to  remain  in  retire 
ment  for  some  time.  She  will  probably  remain  in  Jenkin 
town  all  summer  and  spend  the  winter  in  Philadelphia. 
You  know  all  about  Jules  Imbert's  operations,  so  you 
will  arrange  for  a  permanent  stay  in  Jenkintown,  get 
acquainted  with  Mrs.  Maroney,  and  when  you  get  thor 
oughly  familiar  with  her,  make  her  your  confidante,  and 
to  show  her  how  implicitly  you  rely  on  her  friendship, 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.    101 

disclose  to  her  that  you  are  the  wife  of  a  noted  forger, 
who  is  serving  a  term  in  the  penitentiary.  As  confidence 
begets  confidence,  Mrs.  Maroney  will,  most  certainly,  in 
time  unbosom  herself  to  you." 

I  described  the  different  persons  engaged  on  the  case  : 
De  Forest,  the  lover;  Green,  the  "shadow,"  etc.,  and 
instructed  her  that  not  even  De  Forest  was  to  know  who 
she  was  or  what  her  errand. 

In  a  few  days  handsome  toilets  were  ready  for  Kate 
Warne  —  whom  we  will  hereafter  know  as  Madam  Im- 
bert  —  and  Miss  Johnson.  As  soon  as  possible  I  started 
for  Philadelphia  accompanied  by  the  two  ladies,  and  on 
arriving  in  the  city  took  rooms  in  the  Merchants'  Hotel. 
Kate  Warne  felt  sure  she  was  going  to  win.  She  always 
felt  so,  and  I  never  knew  her  to  be  beaten. 

Mr.  Bangs  reported  that  he  had  sent  Rivers  on  to 
Jenkintown,  where  he  obtained  board  in  a  private  family. 
He  pretended  that  he  had  a  very  sore  arm,  which  pre 
vented  him  from  working  and  obliged  him  to  go  up  to 
Philadelphia  to  get  it  dressed.  As  he  was  doing  nothing 
he  concluded  he  would  live  in  Jenkintown,  where  board 
was  much  cheaper  than  in  the  city. 

Green  had  been  ordered  to  Philadelphia  to  take  charge 
of  Mrs.  Maroney  when  she  came  up  to  the  city,  or  to 
follow  her  if  she  started  on  another  trip. 

Madam  Imbert  and  Miss  Johnson  drove  out  to  Jenkin 
town  and  passed  a  couple  of  days  at  the  tavern.  They 
found  that  the  rooms,  though  plain,  were  very  neatly 
kept,  and  that  the  table  was  abundantly  supplied  with 
good,  substantial  food.  Madam  Imbert  expressed  herself 
well  satisfied  with  the  town,  the  purity  of  the  air,  and  its 


102  PINKER  TON '  S  DE  TE  C  Tl  VE  S  TOR1E  S. 

beautiful  drives  and  walks  ;  and  as  her  system  had  become 
rather  debilitated  by  a  long  residence  in  the  South,  she 
thought  she  would  spend  the  summer  there  and  recu 
perate  her  failing  health.  She  made  an  arrangement  with 
the  landlord  to  spend  the  summer  at  his  house,  drove  into 
Philadelphia  and  reported  to  me.  She  had  her  baggage 
sent  out,  and  the  following  day  returned  with  Miss  John 
son  and  they  took  up  their  abode  in  the  tavern. 

The  reader  will  observe  that  Jenkintown  is  having  a 
large  increase  made  to  its  population,  principally  of  male 
and  female  detectives.  Stemples,  the  landlord  of  the 
tavern,  had  seldom  had  so  many  distinguished  guests,  and 
visions  of  Jenkintown  becoming  a  fashionable  summer 
resort  floated  before  him,  and  he  felt  that  the  day  was  not 
distant  when  his  humble  tavern  would,  in  all  likelihood, 
be  turned  into  a  huge  caravansary,  filled  to  overflowing 
with  the  elite  of  society. 

All  went  smoothly  with  De  Forest  and  Mrs.  Maroney 
in  their  love-making.  Every  day  they  met  and  strolled 
through  the  shaded  walks  of  the  garden.  He  lavished  a 
great  deal  of  tenderness  on  Flora,  which  he  would  gladly 
have  bestowed  on  the  mother,  and  Flora  was  no  more 
charmed  with  him  than  was  Mrs.  Maroney. 

One  day,  as  they  strolled  through  the  most  secluded 
part  of  the  grounds,  De  Forest,  with  a  beating  heart,  pre 
sented  a  beautiful  bouquet  to  her.  Mrs.  Maroney  accepted 
it  with  a  pleasant  smile,  held  down  her  head  a  little  and 
blushed  most  charmingly.  De  Forest  was  more  than 
elated,  he  was  fascinated.  He  met  me  in  Philadelphia  a 
day  or  two  after  and  said  with  much  feeling : 

"  Why,   Pinkerton,  why  do  you  keep  watch  of  such  a 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.  103 

woman  ?  She  is  the  most  beautiful,  most  charming  lady 
I  ever  encountered  !  By  heavens  !  I  am  in  love  with  her 
myself!  " 

I  advised  him  to  be  careful,  as  the  woman  might  be 
very  beautiful,  but  still  be  a  serpent !  I  found  he  made 
a  truly  devoted  lover,  and  so  I  had  nothing  to  complain 
of  in  that  respect. 

When  Madam  Imbert  and  Miss  Johnson  arrived  at 
Stemples's,  the  inhabitants  of  Jenkintown  were  agog  to 
know  who  they  were  and  whence  they  came.  They 
evidently  belonged  to  a  high  class  of  society,  and  all  sorts 
of  stories  were  circulated  about  them.  The  taller  of  the 
two  ladies  was  quiet,  not  given  to  conversing  much,  and 
was  very  kind  and  considerate  with  the  servants  at  the 
hotel. 

De  Forest  had  managed  to  scrape  up  a  slight  acquaint 
ance  with  them  at  the  breakfast  table,  and  when  Mrs. 
Maroney,  who,  like  everyone  else,  had  heard  of  their 
arrival,  casually  remarked  that  she  wondered  who  they 
were,  he  was  enabled  to  inform  her  that  the  tall  lady  was 
from  the  South  and  that  her  name  was  Madam  Imbert. 

This  was  enough  for  Mrs.  Maroney,  she  loved  the 
South.  Maroney  was  a  Southerner,  and  her  heart 
warmed  toward  any  one  from  there,  so  she  determined 
to  avail  herself  of  the  first  opportunity  of  getting  an 
introduction  to  Madam  Imbert. 

She  entered  into  a  dissertation  on  Maroney  and  his 
virtues ;  did  not  exactly  say  that  he  owned  any  negroes, 
but  hinted  that  he  would  soon  do  so.  She  spoke  of 
Maroney  as  a  man  who  had  plenty  of  money.  De  Forest 
turned  the  conversation  from  Maroney  as  soon  as  pos- 


104  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

sible,  for,  to  tell  the  truth,  he  was  as  much  in  love  with 
her  as  was  the  gallant  Hastenbrook,  and  "  my  husband  " 
was  a  term  that  grated  harshly  on  his  ear. 

De  Forest  learned  that  she  was  going  into  Philadelphia 
on  the  following  day,  and  determined  to  ask  her  to  let 
him  have  the  pleasure  of  driving  her  in.  He  had  the 
proposition  several  times  at  his  tongue's  end,  but  held 
back  from  uttering  it,  for  fear  she  should  decline.  At 
length  he  summoned  up  courage  enough  to  disclose  his 
wish.  Mrs.  Maroney  had  a  habit  of  blushing.  She 
blushed  very  sweetly,  and  accepted  his  kind  offer  with 
many  thanks. 

De  Forest  was  now  all  animation.  He  went  to  the 
tavern,  had  his  buggy  and  set  of  harness  cleaned  and 
scoured  till  they  were  bright  as  ne\v,  and  gave  orders  to 
the  groom  to  bring  up  his  horses  in  the  morning  without 
a  hair  out  of  place.  When  a  lady  and  gentleman  go  out 
for  a  drive  they  like  to  be  by  themselves,  and  generally 
find  a  child  somewhat  de  trap.  De  Forest  sincerely  hoped 
that  Flora  would  not  be  brought  along,  but,  oh  !  deceitful 
man,  he  expressed  a  wish  to  Mrs.  Maroney  that  the  dar 
ling  child  accompany  them.  Mrs.  Maroney  very  much 
relieved  him  by  deciding  that  Flora  had  better  remain  at 
home  and  amuse  her  auntie,  who  would  be  so  lonely 
without  her ! 

Bright  and  early  in  the  morning  De  Forest  was  up,  and 
in  the  stable,  seeing  that  everything  was  just  as  it  should 
be  about  his  turn-out.  He  then  dressed  himself  care 
fully,  ate  a  hurried  breakfast,  put  on  a  stylish  driving 
coat,  and,  jumping  into  his  buggy,  drove  down  to  Cox's. 

Mrs.    Maroney   looked    perfectly   bewitching    as    she 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.    105 

appeared,  dressed  in  a  bright  spring  costume,  and  De 
Forest  tingled  in  every  vein,  as  he  helped  her  into  the 
carriage  and  took  a  seat  beside  her.  He  grasped  the 
reins,  and  the  handsome  bays  were  off  with  a  bound. 

What  would  have  been  Maroney's  feelings  if  he  could 
have  seen  his  wife  and  her  gay  cavalier? 

It  was  a  beautiful  April  morning ;  the  breeze  was  fresh 
and  exhilarating ;  the  fields  were  clothed  with  verdure, 
and  the  trees  loaded  with  buds.  From  every  side  the 
birds  poured  forth  their  song.  It  was  the  season  of  love, 
and  who  could  be  more  completely  "in  season  "  than  was 
De  Forest?  The  roads  were  in  splendid  condition,  and 
they  bowled  along  rapidly,  carrying  on  an  animated  con 
versation.  When  they  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  De  Forest 
drove  to  Mitchell's  restaurant,  opposite  Independence 
Hall,  where  Mrs.  Maroney  alighted,  and  he  drove  off  to 
stable  his  horses,  intending  to  return  at  once  and  order  a 
hearty  dinner. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

DE  FOREST,  after  stabling  his  horses,  proceeded  to 
the  Adams  Express  Office  and  reported  his  success 
to  the  Vice-President  and  Mr.  Bangs.  He  was  highly 
elated,  and  they  laughed  heartily  to  see  how  well  the 
play  worked. 

"By-the-by!"  said  De  Forest,  "I  promised  to  go  right 
back  and  meet  her.  Oh !  I  almost  forgot !  two  ladies 
have  lately  arrived  in  Jenkintown;  I  think  they  are  rich, 
at  least  the  taller  one  is  so  reported.  Her  name  is 
Madam  Imbert,  and  she  is  from  the  South.  They  don't 
go  out  much ;  go  to  the  gardens  occasionally,  and  Mrs. 
Maroney  is  anxious  to  form  their  acquaintance ;  I  think  I 
will  get  thoroughly  acquainted  with  them  by-and-by." 

The  Vice-President  and  Bangs  paid  no  attention  to 
this,  knowing  that  Madam  Imbert  could  take  care  of 
herself.  They  instructed  De  Forest  to  attend  to  his  own 
business,  let  other  people  alone,  and  with  this  admonition 
sent  him  off. 

What  was  De  Forest's  astonishment  on  returning  to  the 
restaurant  to  find  the  lady  gone !  He  did  not  like  it,  but 
concluded  the  only  thing  he  could  do  was  to  wait.  There 
are  plenty  of  loafers  around  "Independence  Hall"  at 
any  time,  day  or  night,  so  drinking  a  mint  julep  and 
lighting  a  cigar,  he  joined  the  throng.  He  fumed  and 
fretted  for  over  an  hour  and  a  half,  when  he  saw  Mrs. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    107 

Maroney  coming  down  the  street,  looking  very  warm. 
He  met  her  and  she  excused  herself  by  saying  that  she 
had  called  on  a  lady  friend  who  lived  on  Spruce  street, 
just  above  Twentieth,  and  finding  her  sick  had  been 
unable  to  get  away ;  that  she  had  walked  back  very  fast 
and  felt  completely  exhausted. 

De  Forest  felt  very  sorry,  and  tenderly  said  she  must 
not  over-exert  herself.  He  then  ordered  dinner,  which 
was  served  up  regardless  of  cost,  and  which  they  washed 
down  with  a  few  bottles  of  champagne  of  the  very  best 
brand.  They  were  soon  the  happiest  of  friends,  and  all 
thoughts  of  separation  had  vanished  from  De  Forest's 
mind. 

It  is  strange  what  a  difference  there  will  sometimes  be 
in  reports.  About  two  hours  after  De  Forest  made  his 
report,  Green  came  in  and  reported  that  according  to 
orders  he  had  "shadowed"  De  Forest  and  Mrs.  Maroney 
when  they  drove  into  the  city. 

De  Forest  had  left  Mrs.  Maroney  at  Mitchell's  and 
driven  off  while  he  remained  and  kept  his  eye  upon  her. 
She  left  Mitchell's,  walked  over  to  the  Washington  House 
and  went  into  a  room  where  she  remained  for  over  an 
hour  and  a  half.  She  left  the  hotel  with  Mr.  Hasten- 
brook,  who  politely  bade  her  good-bye  at  the  corner  of 
Eighth  street,  while  she  went  down  to  Mitchell's  and  met 
De  Forest,  poor  De  Forest!  but,  "where  ignorance  is  bliss, 
'tis  folly  to  be  wise."  After  dinner  De  Forest  ordered  up 
his  horses,  and  the  happy  pair,  rendered  extremely  senti 
mental  by  the  mellowing  influence  of  the  wine,  started  on 
their  homeward  journey.  They  stopped  at  a  wayside  inn 
a  few  miles  out  of  the  city,  had  a  mint  julep,  and  then 


108  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

proceeded  on  their  way  home,  both  very  happy,  and  De 
Forest  decidedly  spooney. 

Rivers  had  an  easy  time  of  it  at  Jenkintown.  He  got 
well  in  with  Josh.  Cox  and  his  friends  Horton  and  Barclay. 
In  fact  any  one  with  a-  little  money  to  spend  on  drinks 
could  easily  form  their  acquaintance.  He  became  so 
thick  with  Josh,  that  Josh,  would  gladly  have  taken  him 
into  his  house  as  a  boarder  had  it  not  been  for  the  fact 
that  Mrs.  Maroney  and  her  daughter  were  boarding  with 
him  and  had  taken  up  all  the  spare  room. 

Rivers  did  not  become  acquainted  with  Mrs.  Maroney, 
as  she  was  proud  and  arrogant,  and  would  disdain  to  form 
the  acquaintance  of  any  low  "white  trash"  like  him. 
Whenever  Mrs.  Maroney  went  to  Philadelphia  he  followed 
her  and  excused  his  frequent  absences  to  Josh,  by  stating 
that  he  went  up  to  get  his  arm  dressed.  That  arm  was 
indeed  a  very  sore  one,  and  his  physician  must  have  made 
a  small  fortune  out  of  him  alone.  When  Rivers  found 
that  Mrs.  Maroney  was  going  into  town  with  her  escort, 
he  would  go  in  on  the  train  and  get  to  the  outskirts  of 
the  city  in  time  to  meet  them  as  they  drove  in.  She  was 
generally  accompanied  by  De  Forest,  who  had  become 
her  constant  attendant.  After  they  reached  the  city  they 
had  to  drive  slowly,  and  so  he  could  follow  them  with 
ease.  De  Forest  had  been  ordered  to  always  drive  to 
Mitchell's  when  he  came  in  with  Mrs.  Maroney,  and  Green 
was  there  ready  to  take  charge  of  her  when  they  arrived, 
relieving  Rivers,  who  would  return  by  the  evening  train 
to  Jenkintown. 

Mrs.  Maroney  had  a  great  desire  to  become  acquainted 
with  Madam  Imbert  and  Miss  Johnson.  Madam  Imbert 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    109 

appeared  very  sad,  and  it  was  currently  reported  that  she 
had  brought  the  lively  Miss  Johnson  with  her  to  console 
her  and  keep  her  in  good  spirits.  The  desired  introduc 
tion  was  brought  about  by  an  accident.  Mrs.  Maroney 
was  taking  her  accustomed  stroll  through  the  pleasure 
grounds,  accompanied  by  De  Forest  and  Flora.  Flora,  as 
usual,  full  of  fun,  was  running  far  ahead  of  her,  when  she 
saw  two  ladies  coming  down  a  cross-path.  As  she  turned 
her  head  to  look  at  them,  still  running  at  full  speed,  she 
caught  her  foot  in  the  grass  borders  of  the  walk  and  was 
thrown  violently  to  the  gravel  pavement.  The  ladies, 
who  proved  to  be  Madam  Imbert  and  Miss  Johnson, 
rushed  to  her,  and  the  Madam  picked  her  up.  Flora  had 
scratched  her  hands  badly,  and  Madam  Imbert  had  par 
tially  bound  them  up  before  her  mother  and  De  Forest 
arrived.  This  led  to  an  introduction,  and  Mrs.  Maroney 
was  not  slow  in  following  it  up. 

The  next  day  Madam  Imbert  received  a  call  from  Mrs. 
Maroney,  who  wished  to  more  fully  return  her  thanks  for 
her  kindness  to  her  daughter.  The  acquaintance  pro 
gressed  slowly,  Mrs.  Maroney  making  all  the  advances. 
There  was  something  about  Madam  Imbert  that  seemed 
to  draw  one  toward  her.  Mrs.  Maroney  felt  that  the 
Madam  was  a  better  woman  than  she,  and  that  it  did  her 
good  to  pass  an  hour  in  her  company.  As  she  became 
more  familiar  with  her,  she  discovered  that  Madam  Im 
bert  received  many  letters  through  the  post,  and  often 
found  her  crying  over  them.  The  Madam  would  put 
them  hurriedly  to  one  side,  and  greet  her  with  a  forced 
smile  which  showed  the  efforts  she  made  to  hide  her 
grief.  Mrs.  Maroney  deeply  sympathized  with  her,  as 


110  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

she  compared  her  own  gay  and  happy  life,  free  from 
care,  to  Madam  Imbert's,  from  which  every  ray  of  sun 
shine  seemed  to  have  been  blotted  out. 

On  one  of  the  trips  which  Mrs.  Maroney  made  to  Phil 
adelphia  with  De  Forest,  Rivers,  who  had  headed  them 
off,  as  usual,  at  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  and  was  follow 
ing  them  in,  was  observed  by  De  Forest.  De  Forest  had 
seen  the  man  with  the  sore  arm  just  before  they  left 
Jenkintown,  and  he  now  noticed  him  following  them  from 
block  to  block.  He  had  no  idea  that  the  man  could  be 
following  Mrs.  Maroney,  and  supposed  he  must  be  follow 
ing  him.  The  idea  flashed  into  his  mind  that  it  must  be 
some  inquisitive  boor,  who  was  following  him  merely  out 
of  prurient  curiosity  to  see  how  he  conducted  himself 
with  Mrs.  Maroney.  He  did  not  mention  the  matter  to 
her,  but  as  he  saw  the  man  still  following  him  his  anger 
overflowed,  and  he  determined  that  when  he  left  Mrs. 
Maroney  at  Mitchell's,  he  would  find  out  what  the  fellow 
wanted  with  him.  When  he  arrived  at  Mitchell's  Mrs. 
Maroney  went  in,  and  he  drove  to  the  stables  with  the 
horses.  Rivers  met  Green  here,  and  turning  Mrs.  Ma 
roney  over  to  him,  came  to  the  office  of  the  Adams  Ex 
press  and  reported  to  Bangs. 

Bangs  gave  him  his  instructions  and  he  went  out  of  the 
office  by  the  rear  entrance.  He  saw  De  Forest  in  the 
alley,  but  as  he  had  nothing  to  do  with  him,  let  him  go. 
He  went  down  Chestnut  street,  turned  into  Third,  where 
the  cars  start  from,  and,  as  he  had  a  few  hours  to  spare, 
determined  to  see  some  of  his  old  friends.  He  had  been 
loafing  around  about  an  hour  when  one  of  the  detectives 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    Ill 

of  the  city  force  stepped  up  to  him,  and,  tapping  him  on 
the  shoulder,  said  :  "You  are  my  prisoner." 

"What  have  I  done  to  deserve  arrest?"  demanded 
Rivers,  completely  dumbfounded. 

"  Never  you  mind  that !  you're  my  prisoner,  and  if  you 
don't  come  along  quietly,  you'll  pay  for  it !  "  was  all  the 
consolation  he  got  from  the  detective. 

"  But  I  haven't  done  anything,"  pleaded  Rivers. 

"  There,  just  shut  up,  now  !  I  don't  want  any  of  your 
talk.  I  know  my  business,  and  you're  my  prisoner ;  so 
just  you  come  along." 

Rivers,  finding  resistance  useless,  went  with  him.  At 
the  same  time  he  saw  De  Forest  looking  on,  and  seeming 
to  rather  enjoy  his  predicament.  As  the  detective  was 
taking  him  up  Chestnut  street  toward  his  headquarters, 
they  passed  the  Adams  Express  Office.  Bangs  happened 
to  step  out  at  this  moment,  and  was  much  amazed  to  see 
Rivers  under  arrest.  They  said  nothing,  but  Rivers 
looked  steadily  at  Bangs,  and  Bangs  at  him.  Without  a 
moment's  reflection,  Bangs  rushed  off  to  report  the  arrest 
of  Rivers  to  me.  I  was  holding  a  consultation  with 
Madam  Imbert  and  Miss  Johnson,  at  the  Merchants' 
Hotel.  Everything  was  working  well,  and  I  felt  particu 
larly  happy,  when  Bangs  rushed  in  and  dispelled  my 
happiness  by  stating  that  Rivers  had  been  arrested.  At 
the  news,  my  heart  fairly  jumped  into  my  mouth.  I  had 
felt  success  almost  within  my  grasp,  and  now  my  plans 
had  fallen  through  entirely. 

The  thought  at  once  flashed  through  my  mind  that 
Hastenbrook  was  at  the  bottom  of  the  trouble.  He  must 
ufC  a  friend  of  Maroney's  in  disguise.  I  left  Madam 


112  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

Imbert  and  the  rest  of  the  party  at  the  Merchants'  and 
proceeded  to  the  Adams  Express  Office,  where  I  met  the 
Vice-President.  I  informed  him  of  Rivers's  arrest,  and 
my  fears  that  Maroney  had  checkmated  me.  The  Vice- 
President  said  that  he  thought  he  could  entirely  remove 
my  fears ;  that  De  Forest  had  come  in  from  Jenkintown 
with  Mrs.  Maroney,  and  had  reported  to  him.  He  stated 
that  he  had  fixed  a  fellow  nicely.  A  fellow  had  been 
loafing  around  Jenkintown  for  three  or  four  weeks.  Ue 
Forest  had  observed  him  just  before  starting  for  the 
city,  and  when  he  reached  the  suburbs  discovered  him 
dogging  his  movements  wherever  he  went.  He  drove  to 
Mitchell's,  and  came  over  to  report,  and  the  impudent 
fellow  still  kept  on  his  track.  He  thereupon  went  to  the 
city  detective's  headquarters.  The  employes  of  the 
Adams  Express  were  well  known,  so  that  he  had  no  diffi 
culty  in  getting  a  detective,  and,  walking  out  with  him,  he 
pointed  out  the  man,  and  said  he  would  like  to  have  him 
arrested,  as  he  had  been  following  him  all  the  morning. 
The  detective  kept  watch  of  the  man  for  over  an  hour, 
and  then,  finding  that  he  continued  to  loaf  around, 
arrested  him  on  the  charge  of  vagrancy  and  took  him  to 
the  office,  where  he  had  him  locked  up  until  he  could 
prefer  charges  against  him. 

As  may  be  easily  imagined,  I  felt  greatly  relieved  when 
I  heard  this.  The  ridiculousness  of  the  whole  transaction 
crossed  my  mind,  and  as  the  Vice-President  equally 
appreciated  the  joke  with  me,  it  was  some  time  before 
we  could  control  our  risibles  sufficiently  to  make  arrange 
ments  for  the  release  of  Rivers.  I  asked  the  Vice-Pres 
ident  if  he  knew  some  lawyer  whom  he  could  get  to 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.    IK] 

volunteer  his  services  in  behalf  of  Rivers.  He  suggested 
one,  and  soon  afterward  a  lawyer  called  at  the  detective's 
office  and  demanded  the  charge  on  which  Rivers  was 
held.  He  found  that  it  was  only  a  nominal  one,  and 
effected  his  release  without  any  one's  being  the  wiser  as 
to  his  business. 

When  De  Forest  returned  to  Jenkintown  that  evening, 
he  was  greatly  surprised  to  find  Rivers  there,  as  large  as 
life,  and  drinking  with  his  friend  Cox  as  if  nothing  had 
happened.  De  Forest  could  not  tell  how  he  got  out,  but 
supposed  he  must  have  been  let  off  on  paying  a  fine ;  all 
he  knew  was  that  the  dirty  loafer  had  completely  spoiled 
his  pleasure. 

We  will  now  leave  Jenkintown  for  a  time,  and  return 
to  Montgomery. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

MARONEY  passed  the  time  very  pleasantly.  Mr. 
Floyd,  of  the  Exchange,  was  on  friendly  terms 
with  him,  notwithstanding  the  little  difficulty  they  had 
had  in  regard  to  Mrs.  Maroney.  He  had  no  business  to 
attend  to  and  passed  a  good  deal  of  time  in  the  office 
of  the  hotel,  talking  with  Porter  and  furnishing  him 
with  an  abundant  supply  of  good  cigars. 

Porter  was  a  thoroughly  good  fellow,  and  had  an  inex 
haustible  fund  of  stories  and  anecdotes,  some  of  them 
rather  "smutty,"  but  they  were  just  the  sort  that  suited 
Maroney,  so  that  they  had  become  the  thickest  of  friends. 
Sometimes  Maroney  would  take  a  hand  in  a  social  game 
of  euchre  at  Patterson's,  at  other  times  he  would  take 
Porter  or  May  out  for  a  drive  behind  "Yankee  Mary," 
and  as  they  drove  along  expatiate  on  her  many  good 
qualities. 

He  seldom  went  into  the  express  office,  as,  although  he 
knew  the  employes  well,  he  felt  that  when  he  called  they 
kept  a  sharp  lookout  on  his  movements,  and  he  did  not 
appreciate  such  courtesy.  He  would  occasionally  go  into 
the  express  car  to  see  the  messenger,  and  it  was  noticed 
that  he  always  looked  at  the  money  pouch,  though  at  the 
time  nothing  special  was  thought  of  it. 

He  seemed  never  to  tire  of  relating  the  incidents  of 
his  journey,  and  would  raise  a  hearty  laugh  by  the  man- 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.      115 

ner  in  which  he  would  describe  his  adventures  at  Natchez, 
on  the  hill,  or  of  his  visit  to  the  amphitheatre  cf  his 
friends,  Spaulding  &  Rogers,  in  New  Orleans.  He  was, 
to  all  appearances,  the  happiest  man  in  town.  He  often 
talked  over  with  Porter,  his  plans  for  the  future,  saying 
that,  after  his  trial,  he  intended  to  go  into  the  livery 
stable  business,  and  wanted  Porter  to  become  his  clerk. 
There  was  very  little  talk  about  the  robbery  in  Mont 
gomery,  arid  when  any  one  would  mention  it  to  Maroney, 
he  would  say,  "You  will  see  how  it  will  end  by-and-by," 
and  always  intimated  that  he  would  sue  the  company  for 
heavy  damages  after  his  vindication  by  trial.  Very  little 
was  said  about  Mrs.  Maroney.  She  had  few  friends, 
indeed,  yet  these  few  seemed  to  have  warm  feelings 
towards  her;  most  of  the  ladies  seemed  pleased  that  she 
had  gone,  leaving  Maroney  still  with  them. 

Maroney  passed  a  good  deal  of  time  in  his  lawyer's 
office  and  seemed  to  be  making  elaborate  preparations 
for  his  trial.  He  would  often  walk  out  on  the  plank  road 
towards  the  plantations,  and  Porter,  by  great  exertions, 
found  that  he  was  attracted  by  a  lovely  girl  who  lived 
some  three  miles  from  the  city.  He  never  came  into 
town  with  her;  it  would  have  been  considered  improper 
for  her  to  receive  the  attentions  of  a  married  man,  and  a 
scandal  would  have  been  the  inevitable  result.  There 
appeared  to  be  nothing  wrong  between  them,  and  Porter 
became  convinced  that  it  was  a  genuine  love  affair.  The 
girl  must  have  known  she  was  doing  wrong  in  permitting 
attentions  from  a  married  man ;  but  Maroney  was  most 
enticing  when  he  wished  to  be,  and  in  this  case  loved  the 
girl  with  what  he  thought  a  pure  love,  and  easily  over- 


116  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

came  any  scruple  she  might  have  in  this  regard.  He  was 
very  friendly  with  Gus  McGibony,  the  Montgomery  de 
tective,  and  was  always  willing  to  do  him  a  favor. 

McGibony  being  the  only  known  detective  at  Mont 
gomery,  was  considered  a  big  man  in  his  way.  Maroney 
always  treated  him  as  such,  played  cards  with  him  and 
called  him  up  to  take  a  drink  when  he  treated.  Gus 
always  spoke  in  the  highest  terms  of  Maroney,  and  had 
evidently  taken  sides  in  the  case,  for,  when  he  was  asked 
his  opinion  in  regard  to  the  robbery,  he  would  say  that 
Maroney  was  bound  to  win.  In  this  opinion  he  was  sup 
ported  by  the  whole  community. 

Porter  would  sometimes  talk  over  the  case  with  Watts, 
Judd  &  Jackson,  the  legal  advisers  of  the  company.  They 
were  firmly  of  the  opinion  that  Maroney  had  committed 
the  robbery,  yet  still  they  must  say  that  there  was  no 
proof  by  which  he  could  be  convicted  when  the  case 
was  brought  for  trial. 

Roch  was  having  an  easy  time  of  it,  for  as  long  as 
Maroney  remained  in  Montgomery  he  had  nothing  to  do 
but  smoke  his  pipe  and  drink  lager.  He  was  taking  a 
good  rest  after  his  arduous  labors  "shadowing"  Maroney 
on  his  lengthy  tour.  At  least  the  duties  would  have  been 
arduous  to  any  one  but  Roch,  who,  however,  rather  en 
joyed  them,  and  longed  to  prepare  for  another  chase. 

I  knew  that  something  decisive  must  soon  be  done,  as 
the  time  set  for  Maroney's  trial  was  rapidly  approaching. 
We  —  the  Adams  Express  and  I  —  must  move  something. 

Maroney  was  evidently  preparing  for  his  defense,  and 
all  was  resting  quietly.  As  the  reader  well  knows  I 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.     117 

had  a  sharp  watch  set  on  the  operations  at  Jenkintown 
and  on  all  that  occurred  in  Montgomery. 

On  the  first  of  May,  Maroney  announced  his  intention 
of  going  North  on  a  visit.  He  was  with  Porter  at  Pat 
terson's  at  the  time  and  seemed  to  have  suddenly  formed 
the  resolution.  He  said  he  had  consulted  with  his 
counsel  and  they  had  informed  him  that  he  might  as 
well  go  if  he  wished,  as  there  was  nothing  to  detain  him. 
He  desired  to  see  his  wife  and  a  few  friends,  and  so  had 
determined  to  make  a  short  visit  to  the  North.  His  old 
trunk,  up  in  the  garret  of  the  hotel,  amongst  the  un 
claimed  baggage,  was  never  looked  at. 

Every  one  knew  it  was  Maroney's,  and  even  the  col 
ored  porter,  who  sometimes  went  up  into  the  garret  with 
Porter,  to  look  up  some  article  that  had  been  sent  for, 
would  say:  "  Dat's  Massa  'Roney's  trunk." 

The  day  before  Maroney  started  for  the  North  he 
packed  up  everything  he  needed  for  his  journey  in  his 
large  trunk,  and  then  said  to  Porter,  who  was  assisting 
him  :  "  Let's  go  up  to  my  old  trunk,  I  still  have  some 
cigars  in  it,  and  I  think  it  would  be  well  to  get  some  of 
them  to  smoke  on  my  journey." 

Porter  sent  for  Tom,  and  they  all  three  went  into  the 
garret.  Tom  unbourd  the  trunk;  Maroney  took  out 
some  cigars  and  articles  of  wearing  apparel,  and,  having 
it  tied  up  again,  returned  to  his  room.  No  further  notice 
was  taken  of  the  trunk  by  any  one. 

To  place  me  on  my  guard,  Porter  immediately  tele 
graphed  me,  in  cipher,  of  this  intended  move.  The 
dispatch  reached  rne  in  Chicago,  and  was  indeed  news  to 
me.  What  he  intended  to  do  in  the  North  I  could  not 


118  PJNKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

tell.  I  thought  myself  nearly  blind  in  trying  to  solve  the 
reasons  of  his  movement,  and  in  arranging  plans  for  his 
reception  in  the  North.  What  could  we  do  ?  I  was  not 
a  lawyer,  but  understood  a  good  deal  of  the  law,  and  felt 
that  now  was  the  time  to  work  something  in  our  favor.  I 
soon  made  up  my  mind  what  course  to  pursue,  and 
started  the  next  day  for  Philadelphia,  to  lay  my  plans 
before  the  Vice-President  personally  ;  telegraphing  Porter 
to  get  Roch  ready  to  shadow  Maroney.  He  was  to  retain 
his  Dutch  disguise,  as  it  had  done  good  service  before, 
and  had  not  been  "spotted." 

I  arrived  safely  in  Philadelphia,  and  found  that  I  had 
not  much  preceded  Maroney. 

On  the  second  of  May,  Maroney,  having  everything  in 
readiness  for  his  departure,  went  to  the  depot,  accom 
panied  by  a  great  many  friends,  and  took  the  train  for  the 
North.  Roch  had  reached  the  depot  before  him,  and  had 
bought  a  through  second-class  ticket  to  Philadelphia,  via 
Baltimore.  Nothing  of  any  consequence  took  place  until 
they  reached  Baltimore.  Maroney  came  through  the  cars 
only  twice,  seeming  to  be  confident  that  he  was  not  fol 
lowed.  He  took  an  occasional  walk  to  stretch  his  legs, 
but  kept  quietly  to  himself  the  whole  of  the  journey. 

At  Baltimore  Roch  was  met  by  Bangs  and  Green,  who 
relieved  him  from  duty  when  they  got  the  "  spot  "  on  Ma 
roney.  They  found  Roch  pretty  well  exhausted,  as  he 
had  not  slept  on  the  journey,  and  had  been  obliged  to  sit 
in  a  very  cramped  position. 

On  getting  into  Philadelphia,  Maroney  went  to  the 
Washington  House,  while  Roch  went  to  the  Merchants' 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.     119 

Hotel,  where  he  immediately  retired,  and  had  a  good  long 
sleep. 

At  Jenkintown  all  went  quietly.  Mrs.  Maroney  was 
well  loved  by  De  Forest,  well  "  shadowed  "  by  Rivers  and 
Green,  and  greatly  benefited  by  the  pure  society  of 
Madam  Imbert.  She  said  to  Madam  Imbert,  a  few  days 
before  the  arrival  of  Maroney  :  "  I  am  happy  to  state 
that  my  husband  will  be  with  me  in  a  few  days.  I  am 
so  delighted  at  the  prospect  of  meeting  him  once  more,  as 
he  has  been  separated  from  me  a  great  deal.  We  shall 
have  a  splendid  time  in  Philadelphia  and  New  York ; 
perhaps  spend  the  summer  in  Jenkintown,  and  then  go 
South,  via  Cincinnati  and  Louisville ;  passing  through 
Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  into  Alabama,  and  stopping  at 
all  the  cities  on  the  way." 

On  the  fifth  of  May  she  packed  up  her  trunks,  and 
Flora  and  she  were  driven  to  the  Jenkintown  station.  De 
Forest  offered  to  take  them  into  the  city  in  his  buggy,  but 
the  offer  was  declined,  with  thanks,  and  they  left  for  Phil 
adelphia  without  escort. 

At  Philadelphia  she  called  a  carriage,  and,  with  Flora, 
was  driven  to  the  Washington  House.  In  a  short  time 
Maroney  arrived,  entered  his  name  on  the  register,  and 
was  shown  to  his  wife's  room,  and  the  two  after  an 
eventful  separation,  were  thus  once  more  united. 

Having  no  need  of  Rivers's  services  at  Jenkintown,  he 
was  called  to  Philadelphia,  to  "  shadow  "  the  parties 
there.  Madam  Imbert  and  Miss  Johnson  of  course 
remained. 

On  the  sixth  of  May,  Maroney  mailed  a  letter,  which 
the  "  shadow  "  discovered  was  directed  to  "William  M. 


120  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

Carter,  Locksmith,  William  st.,  N.  Y."  A  note  was  taken 
of  this,  and  as  soon  as  possible  Bangs  left  for  New  York, 
to  interview  Mr.  Carter.  He  found  that  Carter  was  one 
of  the  best  locksmiths  in  the  city,  and  inclined  to  be  a 
good  fellow. 

Bangs,  representing  the  New  York  office  of  the  Adams 
Express,  gave  him  some  jobs,  making  keys,  etc.;  and 
finally  brought  him  a  key  to  the  lock  of  the  pouch  used 
by  the  company,  and  asked  him  to  make  two  just  like  it. 

Carter  said  he  could  make  them,  and  after  examining 
the  key  for  some  time,  said  :  "  But  stop  a  little  ;  a  friend 
of  mine,  now  in  Philadelphia,  sent  me  a  draft  of  a  key  he 
wanted  made,  and  it  is  almost  exactly  like  this  !  "  Pro 
ducing  the  draft,  he  exclaimed,  "  it  is  exactly  the  same  !  " 
He  handed  it  to  Bangs,  who  found  it  a  finely  executed 
drawing  of  the  pouch  key,  made  by  Maroney.  Bangs 
paid  no  attention  to  this  circumstance,  but  Carter  said  he 
would  not  make  the  key,  as  he  did  not  know  to  what  use 
it  might  be  put.  He  would  return  the  draft  to  his  friend 
and  say  he  could  not  make  it.  Bangs  managed  to  get  a 
copy  of  the  draft  before  it  was  returned. 

On  discovering  this,  I  saw  through  Maroney's  plan  at 
once  ;  he  wished  to  have  a  key  made  similar  to  the  pouch 
key,  and  introduce  it  as  evidence  in  his  trial  that  others 
than  the  agents  might  have  keys  to  the  Company's 
pouches.  Two  days  before  Maroney  met  his  wife  in 
Philadelphia,  I  held  a  consultation  with  the  Vice-Presi- 
dent  and  Bangs  in  the  office  of  the  Express  Co.  I  main 
tained  that  it  was  the  Company's  duty  to  arrest  Maroney. 
They  had  a  right  to  bring  suit  against  an  agent  of  theirs 
wherever  found.  I  urged  him  to  lay  the  matter  before 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AXD   THE  DETECTIVE.    121 

the  Company's  counsel  in  Philadelphia.  If  we  could  get 
him  in  prison  here  all  would  be  well,  and  the  expense 
and  trouble  of  following  him  from  place  to  place  would 
be  entirely  avoided.  It  was  our  duty  to  keep  him  in  jail, 
where  I  could  introduce  a  detective,  disguised  as  a  fellow- 
prisoner,  whose  duty  would  be  to  get  into  his  confidence 
and  finally  draw  from  him  his  secret  and  learn  his  plans 
for  the  future.  I  presented  my  ideas  so  clearly  that  the  Vice 
President  was  convinced  that  the  plan  was  a  good  one, 
and  he  at  once  saw  St.  George  Tucker  Campbell,  the 
eminent  lawyer,  laid  the  whole  case  before  him  and  asked 
his  opinion.  They  looked  the  whole  case  over,  and  he 
admitted  that  my  plan  was  a  good  one.  He  said  we 
might  be  able  to  hold  Maroney  for  a  short  time,  but  he 
really  did  not  think  we  could  long  do  so.  He  might  be 
able  to  fight  it  out  for  three  or  four  weeks,  but  by  that 
time  Maroney  would  be  sure  to  effect  his  release.  He 
would  be  so  excited  over  his  daily  expectation  of  effect 
ing  his  release  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  make 
a  proper  effort  to  mould  his  mind  to  my  purpose.  He 
produced  sufficient  evidence  to  prove  to  me  that  it  would 
be  bad  policy  to  try  my  plan  in  Philadelphia.  This  was 
a  crushing  blow,  and  I  felt  as  if  a  load  had  been 
placed  upon  my  breast.  Mr.  Campbell  left  me  one  ray 
of  hope  by  stating  that  he  was  not  fully  posted  in  the 
laws  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  that  I  might  be 
enabled  to  carry  out  my  purpose  there.  Leaving  Bangs 
in  charge  at  Philadelphia,  the  Vice-President  and  I  started 
for  New  York.  We  had  a  meeting  with  the  President 
and  other  officers  of  the  Company,  and  determined  to 
lay  the  matter  before  Clarence  A.  Seward,  the  Company's 


122  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

counsellor  in  New  York.  He  had  just  been  engaged  by 
the  Company,  as  I  had  been,  and  so  far  had  attended 
only  to  some  small  matters  for  them.  The  Vice-Presi- 
dent  notified  him  to'  meet  us  at  the  Astor  House,  where 
the  case  was  laid  before  him.  After  looking  up  the  points 
of  law  involved,  he  decided  that  we  could  hold  Maroney 
in  New  York.  We  then  instructed  him  to  get  the  papers 
in  readiness,  so  that  the  moment  Maroney  stepped  into 
New  York  he  should  be  arrested.  How  happy  did  I  now 
feel!  All  care  was  gone,  the  weight  of  sorrow  had  been 
lifted  from  my  breast  as  if  by  the  hand  of  magic :  hope 
had  taken  the  place  of  despair,  and  I  returned  to  Phila 
delphia  with  renewed  energy  and  firmness,  bound  to  win 
beyond  a  peradventure. 

I  now  assigned  to  Green  the  duty  of  shadowing  Mrs. 
Maroney,  and  to  Rivers  the  duty  of  shadowing  Maroney. 
I  gave  them  strict  orders  to  keep  separate,  and  to  make 
a  move  only  when  the  persons  they  were  shadowing 
moved.  After  Maroney  had  washed  himself  and  removed 
his  travel-soiled  garments,  he  had  a  long  confidential  talk 
with  his  wife,  played  with  and  caressed  Flora,  and  then 
walked  out  with  them  on  Chestnut  street.  They  proceeded 
as  far  as  Eighth,  apparently  amusing  themselves  by  look 
ing  into  the  shop  windows,  and  then  returned  and  did 
not  leave  the  hotel  during  the  evening,  passing  the  time 
in  their  rooms.  At  eleven  they  retired,  thus  allowing 
their  "shadows,"  Green  and  Rivers  to  retire  also. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

SATURDAY,  the  seventh  of  May,  was  a  busy  one  for 
my  operatives.  Maroney  left  the  hotel,  followed  by 
Rivers,  walked  around,  visited  different  stores,  and  finally 
stopped  at  the  corner  of  Vine  and  Third  streets.  In 
five  or  ten  minutes,  who  should  come  along  and  meet 
him  but  Mrs.  Maroney,  shadowed  by  Green  ?  It 
seemed  strange  to  Rivers  that  they  should  have  taken 
this  roundabout  way  of  meeting,  and  he  could  not 
understand  the  reason  for  it.  When  Mrs.  Maroney 
came  up,  Maroney  took  her  arm,  and  together  they 
walked  to  the  office  of  Alderman  G.  W.  Williams.  They 
remained  in  the  office  some  fifteen  minutes,  and  on 
coming  out  went  directly  to  the  Washington  House. 
In  a  few  minutes  they  again  appeared,  accompanied 
by  Flora,  and  getting  into  a  carriage  were  driven  to 
the  ferry,  crossed  over  to  Camden,  and  took  the  train  for 
New  York. 

Rivers,  who  was  the  fastest  runner,  started  on  a  keen 
run  for  the  Adams  Express  Office  and  reported  to  me 
that  the  Maroney  family  were  under  way  for  New  York. 
Bangs  was  in  New  York,  so  I  telegraphed  to  him,  inform 
ing  him  of  their  departure  for  that  city.  He  immediately 
found  Mr.  Seward  and  had  everything  in  readiness  to 
give  them  a  warm  reception. 

But  what  had  they  been  doing  at  Alderman  Williams's? 


124  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

It  was  better  to  find  out  at  once.  I  supposed  .  a  had 
been  executing  some  deed.  I  consulted  with  the  Vice- 
President  about  the  person  most  likely  to  procure  the 
desired  information  from  Alderman  Williams.  After  due 
consideration,  we  decided  that  Mr.  Franklin,  head  of  the 
city  detectives,  was  the  best  man  for  the  purpose.  Frank 
lin  had  always  been  square  and  honest  in  all  his  dealings, 
but  I  determined  not  to  put  too  much  confidence  in  him. 
I  am  always  suspicious  of  men  until  I  know  them 
thoroughly,  or  have  them  employed  in  my  establishment ; 
I  therefore  instructed  Rivers  to  watch  Alderman  Wil 
liams,  and  learn  all  that  he  could. 

The  Vice-President  sent  for  Franklin,  and  employed 
him  to  find  out  what  had  transpired  at  the  Alderman's. 
Franklin  was  a  genial  man,  a  good  talker,  and  devoted  to 
his  duty.  He  proved  himself  to  be  the  best  man  we 
could  have  procured  for  our  purpose.  He  was  well 
acquainted  with  Alderman  Williams,  and  strolled  along 
past  his  office.  The  Alderman  was  seated  with  his  feet 
cocked  up  on  the  window-sill,  smoking  a  cigar,  and,  not 
having  much  to  do,  hailed  Franklin  as  he  went  by,  asking 
him  to  come  in.  Franklin  accepted  the  invitation,  and 
lighting  a  cigar  which  the  Alderman  handed  him,  took 
a  seat. 

The  Alderman  had  witnessed  an  amusing  scene,  and, 
knowing  Franklin's  fondness  for  a  good  story,  related  it 
to  him.  Franklin  thought  the  story  a  good  one,  laughed 
heartily  at  it,  and  then  told  one  or  two  of  his  own.  He 
finally  turned  to  the  Alderman,  and  said ;  "  I  say,  Wil 
liams,  this  is  rather  dry  work.  What  do  you  say  to  going 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    125 

down  to  the  restaurant  with  me,  and  having  some  oysters 
and  a  bottle  of  champagne  to  wash  them  down  ?  " 

Williams,  like  most  Aldermen,  was  fond  of  the  good 
things  of  this  earth,  and  accepted  the  proposition  with 
out  waiting  for  a  second  asking.  He  locked  up  his 
office,  and  they  went  down  to  the  restaurant.  Franklin 
gave  his  orders,  and  the  delicious  bivalves  were  soon 
smoking  before  them.  He  called  for  champagne,  and 
under  its  exhilarating  influence  grew  wittier  and  wittier, 
and  kept  the  Alderman  in  such  roars  of  laughter  that  he 
could  scarcely  swallow  his  oysters.  At  length  Franklin 
told  a  story  of  a  man  by  the  name  of  Maroney,  who  had 
come  to  the  city,  and  getting  into  rather  questionable 
company,  had  been  fleeced  of  quite  a  large  amount  of 
money.  He  had  sought  Franklin's  aid  in  ferreting  out 
the  thieves,  but  finding  it  would  be  necessary  to  disclose 
his  name  and  the  circumstances  in  which  he  was  robbed, 
and  that  the  facts  would  find  their  way  into  the  daily 
papers,  he  concluded  to  bear  the  loss  and  say  no  more 
about  it. 

As  he  finished  this  little  story  the  Alderman  laughed 
heartily,  and  remarked:  "I'll  bet  five  dollars  it  is  the 
same  man." 

"  Why,  what  do  you  mean  ?  "  inquired  Franklin. 

"  Well,  a  man  named  Nathan  Maroney  came  to  my 
office  yesterday  with  a  wealthy  widow,  Mrs.  Irvin,  and  I 
married  them.  I  got  a  good  big  fee,  too,  and  I'll  bet  five 
dollars  he  is  the  same  man  that  called  on  you.  Of  course 
he  would  not  want  it  known  that  he  frequented  such 
places  just  as  he  was  going  to  be  married,  and  so  did  not 
prosecute.  Don't  you  see?  " 


126  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

They  both  laughed  heartily,  and  Franklin,  having 
learned  all  he  wanted  to,  soon  took  his  departure.  He 
reported  to  the  Vice-President  that  Maroney  had  been 
married  the  day  before,  and  the  Vice-President  immedi 
ately  communicated  the  news  to  me. 

I  hurriedly  thought  the  matter  over.  I  had  all  the 
points  on  Mrs.  Maroney  that  I  wanted.  I  could  see  that 
there  was  some  cogent  reason  for  Maroney's  marrying 
Mrs.  Irvin.  He  wanted  to  place  her  where  she  would  tell 
no  stories.  There  were  only  two  ways  to  do  this.  Maro 
ney,  the  thief,  had  either  to  murder  his  mistress,  or  to 
make  her  his  wife.  I  could  see  plainly  through  the  whole 
transaction.  Maroney,  after  committing  the  robbery, 
had,  in  exact  accordance  with  my  theory,  found  that  he 
needed  some  one  in  whom  he  could  confide,  and  with 
whom  he  could  ease  his  overburdened  mind  by  disclosing 
the  facts  of  the  robbery.  Who  could  be  a  safer  person 
than  his  mistress?  Her  interests  were  identical  with  his; 
he  had  gained  her  the  entree  to  good  society  ;  had  taken 
her  from  a  house  of  infamy,  where  she  was  shunned  and 
scorned,  and  by  allowing  her  the  use  of  his  name,  had 
placed  her  in  a  position  to  demand  respect. 

In  all  things  she  seemed  devoted  to  his  interests,  and 
so  far  as  he  knew,  her  conduct  while  with  him  had  been 
beyond  reproach.  What  could  be  more  natural  than  his 
selecting  her  and  pouring  into  her  ear  the  details  of  his 
crime  ? 

How  well  it  must  have  made  him  feel  to  find  in  her  not 
a  stern  moralist  who  would  turn  from  him  with  scorn  and 
point  to  the  heinousness  of  his  crime,  but  a  sweet  en 
thusiast,  with  ideas  moulded  to  suit  his,  who  would 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    127 

encourage  and  renew  his  feelings  of  ultimate  success  and 
almost  rob  crime  of  its  horrors  ! 

What  a  happy  moment  it  must  have  been  to  her  to  hear 
Maroney  give  vent  to  his  pent-up  feelings  !  How  she 
must  have  looked  forward  with  delight  to  the  coming 
time  when  Maroney,  rich  -vith  his  ill-gotten  spoils,  should 
place  her  in  a  position  far  above  what  she  had  ever 
anticipated  reaching!  How  her  eyes  must  have  flashed 
as  she  thought  how  she  could  then  return  with  redoubled 
force  the  scorn  that  had  been  shown  to  her!  She  had 
only  one  more  step  to  take  and  then  her  life  of  shame 
would  be  completely  covered  up:  Maroney  must  marry 
her ! ! 

She  now  had  him  in  her  power;  she  would  be  true  to 
him  if  he  would  be  to  her;  but  if  he  refused lizr  request 
to  make  her  an  honest  woman  in  the  eyes  of  the  world, 
woe  be  to  him  !  ! 

"  Hell  hath  no  fury  like  a  woman  scorned." 

She  did  not  at  once  force  the  matter  on  Maroney,  but 
waited  until  she  reached  the  North,  and  then  gradually 
unfolded  to  him  the  necessity  of  his  marrying  her.  It 
was  a  bitter  pill  for  him  to  swallow,  but  unless  he  chose 
to  add  murder  to  his  other  crimes,  was  his  only  means 
of  safety. 

The  necessity  was  rendered  all  the  more  distasteful  by 
the  fact  that  he  was  now  really  in  love  with  a  girl  who 
possessed  all  the  qualifications  which  render  the  sex  so 
dear  to  man.  He  had  formed  a  plan  to  get  rid  of  his 
mistress,  Mrs.  Irvin,  as  soon  as  possible  after  his  trial, 
and  then  to  marry  the  girl  he  loved,  but  he  was  doomed 


128  riA KERTOX'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

to  disappointment.  As  he  had  not  the  courage  to  kill 
Mrs.  Irvin,  he  had  been  forced  North  to  marry  her.  He 
therefore  was  determined  to  kill  two  birds  with  one 
stone,  and  while  North  have  some  keys  made  to  fit  the 
company's  pouch. 

I  sat  for  some  hours  in  the  office  of  the  General  Super 
intendent,  cogitating  over  the  matter,  and  finally  con 
cluded  to  have  the  notice  of  the  marriage  published.  I 
wrote  out  the  notice  in  the  usual  form  and  sent  it  to  the 
Philadelphia  Press.  It  read  : 

"  MARRIED. 

"MARONEY  —  IRVIN  —  At  Philadelphia,  on  May  7th, 
1859,  by  Alderman  G.  W.  Williams,  Nathan  Maroney,  of 
Montgomery,  Ala.,  to  Mrs.  Irvin,  of  Jenkintown,  Penn. 

"Montgomery  papers  please  copy." 

I  sent  copies  of  the  Press  containing  this  notice  to  all 
the  Montgomery  papers,  enclosing  the  usual  one  dollar 
note  to  pay  for  its  insertion  in  their  columns,  and  in  a  few 
days  the  news  was  blazoned  forth  in  Montgomery.  But 
I  had  not  finished  with  it  yet.  I  got  the  names  of  all  the 
ladies  with  whom  Maroney  was  acquainted  in  Mont 
gomery  and  the  surrounding  country,  also  of  all  his  male 
friends,  and,  buying  a  large  number  of  the  Press  contain 
ing  this  notice,  I  had  copies  directed  to  these  persons  ; 
and  also  to  his  friends  in  Atlanta,  Chattanooga,  Nashville, 
Memphis,  Natchez,  New  Orleans  and  Mobile,  not  forget 
ting  the  highly  respectable  ladies  at  the  pleasant  house  at 
Chattanooga,  or  at  Natchez,  on  the  hill.  These  papers  I 
sent  to  Porter  by  express,  directing  him  to  mail  them. 
Wherever  I  could  learn  of  any  of  Maroney's  friends,  I 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.     129 

furnished  them  with  copies  of  the  Press.  They  must 
have  thought  some  one  very  kind  to  take  so  much  interest 
in  him,  or  more  likely  thought  he  had  sent  them  himself. 
I  knew  I  was  making  capital  for  the  company  by  having 
the  notice  so  fully  circulated  in  Montgomery.  The  in 
habitants  were  amazed  when  they  saw  it,  and  terribly 
indignant  at  Maroney's  conduct. 

While  it  was  true  that  Maroney  and  his  wife  had  never 
mingled  much  in  society  in  Montgomery,  still  he  had 
brought  a  woman  there  and  openly  lived  with  her  as  his 
wife,  who  had  not  only  led  a  life  of  infamy  prior  to  her 
meeting  with  Maroney,  but  who,  even  then,  was  but  his 
mistress.  It  was  an  outrage  upon  decency,  and  as  such 
was  felt  and  resented.  From  Maroney's  personal  popu 
larity  and  agreeable  manners,  there  were  many  who 
believed  in  his  innocence,  still  more  who  did  not  desire 
his  conviction.  His  marriage  thinned  the  ranks  of  the 
latter  and  entirely  wiped  out  almost  every  trace  of  the 
former.  The  man  who  would  live  with  and  introduce  a 
prostitute  as  his  wife,  was  regarded  as  never  too  good  to 
be  guilty  of  robbery  or  any  other  crime. 

The  sympathy  which  had  been  felt  and  expressed  for 
Maroney  by  those  who  regarded  him  as  fighting  single- 
handed  against  a  wealthy  and  powerful  corporation,  was 
now  regarded  as  having  been  worse  than  thrown  away. 
It  was  at  once  and  permanently  withdrawn.  My  move 
had  proved  a  perfect  success  and  I  now  felt  much  easier 
about  the  result  of  the  final  trial  to  be  held  in  Mont 
gomery. 

We  left  Maroney,  his  wife  and  Flora  on  the  cars,  bound 
for  New  York,  to  enjoy  their  honey-moon.     They  were 
9 


130  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

shadowed  by  Green,  and  he  noticed  that  Mrs.  Maroney 
appeared  supremely  happy.  She  had  accomplished  her 
purpose  ;  she  was  now  a  legally  married  woman.  Maroney 
was  in  good  spirits,  but  must  have  had  a  hard  battle  to 
keep  them  up.  He  was  now  enjoying  some  of  the  sweets 
of  crime,  being  forced  to  leave  the  girl  he  loved  and 
marry  a  common  prostitute.  He  had  sold  his  freedom 
for  gold,  and  although  outwardly  he  appeared  calm  and 
happy,  inwardly  he  was  racked  with  contending  emotions. 
What  would  he  now  not  have  given  to  be  back  in  his  old 
position,  free  from  the  taint  of  crime,  free  to  do  as  he 
wished?  But  the  fatal  step  had  been  taken ;  he  could  not 
retrace  it,  he  must  go  on,  and  when  he  won,  as  he  now 
felt  sure  he  would,  could  he  not  find  some  quiet  way 
to  get  rid  of  his  wife?  They  were  rapidly  nearing 
Jersey  City,  and  when  they  reached  there  Mrs.  Maroney 
grasped  Maroney 's  arm,  and  taking  Flora  by  the  hand, 
walked  aboard  the  ferry-boat.  No  newly-married  bride 
ever  felt  more  exultant  than  she.  She  glanced  with  scorn 
at  the  hurrying  crowd,  and  as  they  roughly  jostled  her, 
felt  contaminated  by  the  touch.  They  little  dreamed  of 
the  reception  that  awaited  them  in  New  York.  The  news 
of  their  marriage  had  been  flashed  over  the  wires  to 
Bangs,  and  he  had  made  all  preparations  to  give  them  a 
warm  reception.  Bangs  had  called  for  Mr.  Seward,  and 
he  having  all  the  papers  ready,  drove  to  the  Marshal's 
office.  Seward  was  a  great  favorite  with  every  one,  and 
had  no  trouble  in  getting  United  States  Marshal  Keefe  and 
a  deputy  to  accompany  him.  They  were  all  engaged  when 
he  called,  but  readily  postponed  their  other  business  to 
attend  to  him.  They,  with  Bangs,  proceeded  to  the  ferry 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    131 

and  crossed  over  to  Jersey  City,  to  meet  the  train  coming 
from  Philadelphia. 

When  Maroney  and  his  wife  stepped  on  the  ferry  boat 
they  did  not  notice  the  consultation  of  Green,  Bangs  and 
Marshal  Keefe.  When  the  boat  touched  the  wharf  in 
New  York,  all  was  hurry  and  bustle.  Maroney,  with  his 
wife  and  Flora,  stood  one  side  for  a  few  moments,  wait 
ing  for  the  crush  to  be  over,  and  then  stepped  proudly 
out  for  the  wharf.  He  had  taken  scarcely  three  steps  on 
the  soil  of  New  York  before  he  was  confronted  by  Mar 
shal  Keefe. 

"  You  are  my  prisoner!"  said  he.  "  Nathan  Maroney, 
I  demand  that  you  immediately  deliver  to  me  fifty  thou 
sand  dollars,  the  property  of  the  Adams  Express,  which 
you  feloniously  have  in  your  possession." 

If  a  thunderbolt  had  fallen  at  his  feet  he  could  not 
have  been  more  astonished.  The  demand  of  the  Mar 
shal,  delivered  in  a  loud,  harsh  tone,  and  coming  so 
unexpectedly,  completely  unnerved  him,  and  for  a  mo 
ment  he  shook  like  a  leaf.  His  head  swam  around,  and  he 
felt  as  though  he  would  drop  to  the  ground.  By  a  des 
perate  effort  he  gained  control  of  himself.  His  wife  hung 
speechless  on  his  arm,  while  little  Flora  grasped  her 
mother's  dress,  and  gazed  with  a  startled,  frightened  look 
at  the  Marshal  and  the  rapidly  gathering  crowd. 

"I  have  no  money  belonging  to  the  Express  Com 
pany!"  said  Maroney,  and  supposing  that  that  was  all 
that  was  wanted  with  him,  he  attempted  to  force  himself 
past  the  Marshal. 

"  Not  so  fast!"  exclaimed  the  Marshal,  taking  hold  of 
one  of  Maroney 's  arms,  while  his  deputy  stepped  forward 


182          PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

to  assist  him,  if  Maroney  made  any  resistance.  "Not  so 
fast,  you  must  come  with  me!" 

Maroney  could  scarcely  realize  his  situation ;  it  was  to 
him  a  horrid  dream.  In  a  few  moments  he  would  awake 
and  laugh  at  it.  But  the  jeering  crowd,  the  stern  officers 
of  the  law,  his  weeping  wife  and  her  frightened  child, 
formed  a  scene  which  was  indelibly  stamped  on  his 
memory  never  to  be  obliterated.  His  wife  insisted  that 
her  husband  should  be  allowed  to  accompany  her  to  the 
Astor  House,  and  the  Marshal  finally  consented.  At  the 
Astor  House  he  saw  his  wife  and  Flora  in  their  room,  in 
the  presence  of  Marshal  Keefe,  his  deputy,  and  Bangs. 
No  words  passed  between  them.  His  new-made  bride 
of  only  six  hours  was  bathed  in  tears  —  what  a  honey 
moon  !  Maroney  was  almost  in  tears  himself,  but  he 
choked  them  back.  He  kissed  his  wife  and  Flora,  and 
motioning  to  the  officers  that  he  was  ready,  followed  them 
to  Eldridge  street  jail. 

How  terribly  must  he  have  felt  when  the  heavy  door 
of  his  cell  was  bolted  upon  him,  and  he  was  left  in  soli 
tude  to  brood  over  his  position.  How  he  must  have 
cursed  the  moment  when  he  married  Mrs.  Irvin.  He  did 
so  merely  to  save  himself,  and  now  he  was  in  prison ! 
What  would  he  not  have  given  to  undo  what  only  six 
hours  before  he  had  been  so  anxious  to  consummate! 
What  a  blow  it  would  have  been  to  him  if  he  could  have 
known  the  efforts  I  was  then  making  to  disseminate 
through  the  South  the  news  of  his  marriage;  but  this  I  did 
not  intend  he  should  know.  Mrs.  Maroney  thought  that 
Maroney  would  soon  be  out  of  jail,  but  wondered  why  he 
had  been  arrested  in  New  York.  She  concluded  that  the 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   133 

Company  had  determined  on  the  plan  of  suddenly  con 
fronting  him  and  charging  him  with  the  crime,  hoping 
that  if  guilty  he  would  break  down  and  make  a  confes 
sion.  He  had  passed  through  the  trying  ordeal  unscathed 
and  most  likely  would  be  liberated  in  the  morning.  She 
little  thought  they  had  been  separated  never  more  to  be 
united. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

MR.   SEWARD  had  done  his  work  well.     1  had  little 
fear  that  Maroney  would  get  out,  as  his  bail  was 
fixed    at    one    hundred  thousand    dollars  —  double    the 
amount  of  the  robbery. 

The  question  now  arose  :  What  shall  we  do  with  Maro 
ney?  I  held  a  consultation  with  the  Yice-Prcsident, 
Seward,  and  Bangs,  and  suggested  the  propriety  of  plac 
ing  one  of  my  detectives,  named  White,  in  jail  with  him. 
White  was  in  Chicago,  but  I  could  send  for  him  and  have 
him  in  readiness  for  the  work  in  a  few  days.  White  was 
a  shrewd,  smart  man  to  act  under  orders,  and  nothing 
more  was  required.  I  proposed  that  he  be  introduced  to 
to  the  jail  in  the  following  way  :  He  was  to  assume  the 
character  of  a  St.  Louis  pork-packer.  It  was  to  be 
charged  against  him  that  he  had  been  dealing  largely  in 
hogs  in  the  W^st ,  had  come  cO  J  ew  York  with  a  quantity 
of  packed  pork  of  his  own  to  sell ;  and  also  had  had  a 
lot  consigned  to  him  to  sell  on  commission  ;  he  had  dis 
posed  of  all  the  pork,  pocketed  all  the  proceeds,  and  then 
disappeared,  intending  to  leave  for  Europe,  but  had  been 
discovered  and  arrested.  The  amount  involved  in  the 
case  should  be  about  thirty-seven  thousand  dollars.  It 
was  part  of  my  plan  to  introduce  a  young  man,  who 
should  pretend  to  be  a  nephew  of  White's,  and  who  should 
call  on  him  and  do  his  outside  business.  I  had  a  good 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.    135 

man  for  this  work,  in  the  person  of  Mr.  Shanks.  His 
duties  would  be  to  call  at  the  jail  daily,  see  his  uncle 
White,  carry  his  letters,  go  to  his  lawyers,  run  all  his 
errands,  etc. 

White  was  not  to  force  his  acquaintance  on  Maroney, 
or  any  of  the  prisoners,  but  to  hold  himself  aloof  from 
them  all.  He  was  to  pass  a  good  deal  of  time  in  writing 
letters,  hold  hurried  consultations  with  his  nephew 
and  send  him  off  with  them.  Shanks  was  to  be  oblig 
ing,  and  if  any  of  the  prisoners  requested  him  to  do 
them  favors,  he  was  to  willingly  consent. 

Very  few  people  outside  of  a  prison  know  how  neces 
sary  it  is  to  have  a  friend  who  will  call  on  prisoners  and 
do  little  outside  favors  for  them.  No  matter  how  popular 
a  man  may  be,  or  how  many  true  friends  he  thinks  he 
has,  he  will  find  if  he  is  thrust  into  prison,  that  all  of 
them  will  very  likely  desert  him,  and  he  will  then  keenly 
feel  the  necessity  of  having  some  one  even  to  run  his 
errands.  If  he  has  no  friend  to  act  for  him,  he  will  have 
to  pay  dearly  for  every  move  he  makes.  A  man  like 
Shanks  would  soon  be  popular  with  the  prisoners,  and 
have  his  hands  full  of  commissions. 

There  were  a  good  many  objections  made  to  my  plan, 
but  with  Mr.  Seward's  assistance,  all  its  weak  points  were 
cleared  away,  and  it  was  made  invulnerable. 

I  telegraphed,  ordering  White  and  Shanks  to  come  on 
to  New  York,  and,  leaving  Bangs  in  charge  there,  I  started 
in  a  few  days  for  Philadelphia. 

Green  was  still  employed  in  "  shadowing  "  Mrs.  Maro 
ney,  and  kept  a  close  watch  on  her  movements.  On  the 
morning  after  Maroney's  arrest  she  visited  him  in  the 


136  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

Eldridge  street  jail,  leaving  Flora  in  the  Astor  House. 
They  had  a  long,  private  interview,  after  which  she 
enquired  of  the  Marshal  the  amount  of  bail  neces 
sary  to  effect  her  husband's  release.  He  informed 
her  that  the  bail  had  been  fixed  at  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars.  She  seemed  surprised  at  the  large 
amount,  returned  and  conversed  with  Maroney,  then  left 
the  jail,  and  getting  into  a  carriage,  was  driven  to 
Thirty-first  street.  Green  hailed  a  passing  cab  and  fol 
lowed  at  his  ease.  When  she  stopped,  he  had  his  hackman 
drive  on  a  few  blocks  and  turn  down  a  cross  street,  where 
he  stopped  him.  He  told  the  driver  to  await  his  return, 
and  getting  out  of  the  hack,  walked  slowly  down  the 
street,  keeping  a  sharp  lookout  on  the  house  she  went 
into.  Mrs.  Maroney  remained  in  the  house  about  half  an 
hour,  and  then  came  out  and  was  driven  to  Pearl  street. 
Here  she  went  into  a  large  building  occupied  by  an 
extensive  wholesale  clothing  establishment,  remained 
some  time,  and  then  came  out  with  a  gentleman  who 
accompanied  her  to  the  Eldridge  street  jail.  Green 
remained  in  his  carriage.  Mrs.  Maroney  and  the  gentle 
man  soon  came  out ;  he  bade  her  good-bye,  and  she  drove 
to  several  business-houses  in  the  city. 

Maroney  received  several  calls  during  the  day :  he  was 
very  irritable,  and  seemed  much  depressed  in  spirits. 

Mrs.  Maroney  returned  to  the  Astor  House  at  dark, 
weary,  depressed,  and  despondent. 

Green  reported  to  Bangs  that  it  was  easy  to  read  what 
she  had  accomplished.  Maroney  had  a  number  of  friends 
in  New  York,  and  she  had  been  to  see  if  they  would  not 
go  on  his  bail-bond.  They  had  all  refused,  some  giving 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.  137 

one  excuse,  some  another,  and  the  desired  bail  could  not 
be  procured. 

For  the  purpose  of  finding  his  prospects,  I  had  some 
of  his  friends  interviewed,  and  managed  to  learn  that  the 
friend  on  whom  Maroney  principally  relied  to  furnish 
bail,  was  one  whom  he  had  met  in  the  South  when  he 
was  a  drummer,  but  who  had  now  become  a  partner  in 
the  house. 

Mrs.  Maroney  called  on  him ;  he  expressed  great  sym 
pathy  for  Maroney  and  her,  but  could  not  go  on  his  bond, 
as  the  articles  of  association  of  the  firm  forbade  any  of 
the  partners  signing  bonds,  etc.  In  two  days  it  was  dis 
covered  that  Maroney  had  no  prospects  of  getting  the 
required  bail.  Some  of  his  friends,  whom  he  importuned 
to  assist  him,  called  at  the  express  office  to  find  the  reasons 
for  his  incarceration.  They  were  generally  met  by  the 
President  or  by  the  General  Superintendent  and  informed 
that  Maroney  had  robbed  the  company  of  ten  thousand 
dollars  at  one  time  and  forty  thousand  dollars  at  another, 
and  it  was  for  this  that  he  was  now  in  prison.  The  gentle 
men  saw  at  once  the  risk  they  would  run  in  going  his 
bail  and  concluded  not  to  venture. 

I  was  convinced  that  if  the  public  knew  he  had  stolen 
fifty  thousand  dollars  and  that  the  company  were  bound 
to  prosecute  him,  he  could  not  procure  bail,  and  so  it 
turned  out. 

Mrs.  Maroney  called  at  the  jail  several  times  and  did 
everything  in  her  power  to  procure  bail,  but  finally  gave 
up  in  despair.  She  had  a  long  interview  with  Maroney, 
then  drove  to  the  Astor  House,  paid  her  bill,  and,  getting 


138          PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

into  a  carriage  with  Flora,  went  to  Jersey  City  and  took 
the  train  for  Philadelphia. 

I  had  sent  Roch  to  New  York  to  "shadow"  her  and 
had  brought  Rivers  to  Philadelphia  with  me,  as  no 
shadow  was  needed  for  Maroney.  When  Mrs.  Maroney 
left  New  York,  Green  turned  her  over  to  Roch  and  he 
accompanied  her  to  Philadelphia.  I  had  been  informed 
of  her  departure  and  had  Rivers  ready  to  meet  her  in 
Camden  on  her  arrival. 

She  arrived  safely.  Rivers  relieved  Roch  and  he 
reported  to  me.  I  supposed  she  would  remain  for  the 
night  in  Philadelphia,  but  was  disappointed,  as  she  went 
directly  to  the  North  Pennsylvania  station  and  took  the 
cars  for  Jenkintown. 

I  was  not  quite  prepared  for  this  move,  but  by  four  in 
the  morning  I  was  in  a  buggy  on  my  road  to  Jenkintown. 
When  I  arrived  I  put  up  at  Stemples's,  had  an  early 
breakfast,  and  seized  upon  a  favorable  opportunity  to 
have  a  short  conversation  with  Madam  Imbert.  I  hurri 
edly  instructed  her  to  try  and  meet  Mrs.  Maroney,  and  if 
possible  draw  from  her  an  account  of  what  had  happened 
and  learn  her  plans  for  the  future.  I  then  got  into  my 
buggy  and  drove  back  to  the  city.  It  was  a  beautiful, 
bright  morning,  and  the  drive  was  very  delightful. 

Madam  Imbert,  accompanied  by  Miss  Johnson,  went 
for  her  accustomed  stroll  in  the  garden.  They  walked 
around  for  some  time  and  were  about  returning  when 
they  met  Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora.  Miss  Johnson  took 
charge  of  Flora,  who  was  her  special  favorite,  and  drew 
her  to  one  side  to  have  a  romp  while  Mrs.  Maroney  and 
the  Madam  strolled  along  together. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    139 

Mrs.  Maroney  asked  very  anxiously  about  the  Madam's 
health  and  seemed  to  be  much  pained  when  she  learned 
that  she  was  very  poorly. 

"  Mrs.  Maroney,"  said  Madam  Imbert,  "  I  fear  you  find 
me  poor  company,  indeed.  Your  life  must  be  happy 
beyond  expression.  You  have  a  kind  husband,  a  sweet 
child,  everything  that  makes  life  enjoyable  !  while  I  am 
separated  from  my  dear  husband,  far  away,  with  no  one 
to  love  me  !  no  one  to  care  for  me  !  I  have  bitter  trouble, 
rendered  all  the  harder  to  bear  by  the  fact  that  I  have  to 
brood  over  it  alone.  I  have  not  one  friend  in  this  wide 
world  to  whom  I  can  fly  for  consolation.  No  !  not  one  ! 
My  life  is  unspeakably  lonely.  You  will  forgive  me  for 
not  being  more  gay;  I  cannot  help  it !  I  strive  to  be,  but 
it  is  impossible.  I  often  fear  that  my  melancholy  has  a 
chilling  effect  on  those  around  me,  and  that  they  think 
me  cold  and  heartless  !  " 

"  Madam  Imbert,  my  dear  Madam,  don't  say  that  you 
are  thought  to  be  cold  and  heartless !  Every  one  feels 
that  you  are  suffering  some  great  sorrow,  and  all  are 
drawn  towards  you.  As  for  me  I  have  always  tried  to 
secure  the  sympathy  of  my  lady  friends,  but  I  have  only 
half  succeeded.  You  are  the  first  one  in  whom  I  have  ever 
felt  that  I  could  confide,  the  first  whom  I  wished  to  be  my 
friend.  If  you  are  in  trouble  and  feel  the  need  of  a  friend, 
why  not  rely  on  me  ?  make  me  your  confidante." 

"  Mrs.  Maroney,  you  do  not  know  what  you  ask !  My 
story  is  a  sad  one,  indeed.  I  already  value  your  friend 
ship  too  highly  to  risk  losing  it.  If  you  were  to  know 
my  history,  I  fear  you  would  turn  from  me  in  disgust." 

Madam  Imbert's  tears   flowed   freely ;  she   leaned    on 


140  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

Mrs.  Maroney  for  support.  Mrs.  Maroney  turned  into 
one  of  the  side  paths  and  they  took  a  seat  on  a  bench. 
After  much  persuasion,  Madam  Imbert  was  prevailed  on 
to  disclose  her  secret. 

She  described  to  Mrs.  Maroney  the  many  virtues  of 
her  husband;  told  how  wealthy  he  was,  and  then,  with 
many  sobs,  and  much  apparent  reluctance,  stated  that 
he  was  enticed  into  committing  forgeries ;  that  he  was, 
arrested,  tried,  convicted  and  sent  to  the  State  prison  fcn 
ten  years,  and  that  now  she  was  debarred  from  seeing  him. 

She  was  greatly  relieved  when  she  found  that  Mrs. 
Maroney  did  not  turn  from  her  in  horror  on  discovering 
that  she  was  the  wife  of  a  convict.  On  the  contrary, 
Mrs.  Maroney  said  : 

"  It  was  too  bad,  indeed  !  " 

She  had  suffered  also,  worse  even  than  Madam  Imbert, 
as  her  husband  was  innocent.  Things  looked  bad  for 
him  at  present,  but  all  would  be  bright  by-and-by.  They 
had  plenty  of  friends,  but  when  they  wanted  them,  they 
were  not  to  be  found. 

She  said  that  she  was  going  South  soon,  but  did  not 
intend  to  stay  long.  She  did  not  say  that  her  husband 
was  in  jail,  but  merely  that  he  was  in  some  trouble. 

Madam  Imbert  replied  that  it  was  very  hard  ;  that 
there  seemed  nothing  but  trouble  in  this  world,  and  they 
were  both  shedding  tears  copiously,  when  who  should 
come  in  sight  but  De  Forest  ? 

De  Forest  was  truly  in  love  with  Mrs.  Maroney.  He 
had  heard  that  morning  that  she  had  returned,  and,  find 
ing  that  she  was  in  the  garden,  had  started  in  pursuit  of 
her,  and  arrived  at  a  most  inopportune  moment.  As  he 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    141 

came  in  view,  Mrs.  Maroney  exclaimed:  "Here  comes 
that  awkward  fool !  He  is  such  a  hateful  creature  !  I'd 
like  to  poison  him  ! 

De  Forest  came  gaily  along,  expecting  to  be  received 
with  open  arms,  but  instead  found  both  the  ladies  in 
tears.  "O  ladies,  what's  the  matter?  Crying!"  The 
ladies  said  nothing,  but  Mrs.  Maroney  gave  him  a  scorn 
ful  look  which  made  him  tremble.  He  had,  however, 
broken  up  the  interview,  and  the  party  separated,  Madam 
Imbert  saying  that  she  would  call  in  the  afternoon. 

De  Forest  walked  off  with  Mrs.  Maroney,  but  he  found 
that  she  had  changed  wonderfully,  and  he  got  nothing 
from  her  but  cold  looks  and  sharp  answers.  He  could 
not  understand  her  conduct,  and  the  next  day  came  into 
the  Express  Office,  and  mournfully  reported  that  Mrs. 
Maroney  had  acted  in  a  manner  he  could  not  understand, 
and  that  he  feared  some  one  had  cut  him  out. 

Rivers  kept  a  close  watch  on  Mrs.  Maroney,  and  in  the 
afternoon  called  at  the  house  to  see  Josh.  He  found  the 
house  in  confusion,  and  an  improvised  washing  of  Mrs. 
Maroney's  and  Flora's  clothing  going  on.  Josh,  was 
carrying  water,  and  doing  all  he  could  to  help  the  wash 
ing  along.  "  D — d  busy  to-day,"  said  he ;  "  the  old  woman 
got  an  idea  into  her  head  to  wash,  and  although  I  pro 
tested  against  it,  I  had  to  give  in  and  haul  the  water." 

"Oh  !  "  said  Mrs.  Cox  to  Josh.,  "you  are  always  in  my 
way." 

Rivers  took  this  as  a  rather  broad  hint  to  him  that  he 
was  in  the  way,  and  so  asked  Josh,  to  come  up  town  with 
him.  Josh,  willingly  acquiesced,  and  they  started  out. 
On  the  way  they  met  Barclay  and  Horton,  and  adjourned 


142  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

to  Stemples's.  Rivers  treated,  and  then  endeavored  to 
find  out  from  Cox  the  reasons  of  his  wife's  hurry  and 
bustle.  Cox  told  him  that  his  wife  had  taken  a  sudden 
notion  to  wash,  and  although  he  had  strongly  objected, 
she  had  impressed  him  into  the  service,  and  set  him  at 
work  doing  the  chores  and  hauling  the  water. 

Rivers  tried  to  get  more  explicit  information,  but  could 
not.  Cox,  with  all  his  shiftlessness,  knew  when  to  hold 
his  tongue ;  and  so,  after  plying  him  with  several  drinks, 
Rivers  was  obliged  to  let  him  go,  without  finding  out 
what  he  wanted.  Rivers  felt  that  something  important 
was  under  way.  He  had  followed  Mrs.  Maroney  on  her 
hurried  journey  to  Jenkintown ;  had  seen  her  hold  a  long 
confidential  interview  with  Madam  Imbert,  which  was 
broken  up  by  the  unwelcome  appearance  of  De  Forest, 
and  knew  of  the  preparations  going  on  at  Cox's.  So  he 
was  on  the  alert. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

IN  the  afternoon  Madam  Imbert  called  on  Mrs.  Ma- 
roney,  leaving  Miss  Johnson  at  home.  Mrs.  Maroney 
met  her  kindly,  and  poured  into  her  ear  a  tale  of  sorrow. 
She  told  Madam  Imbert  that  she  was  going  South  for  a 
short  visit,  but  that  she  would  soon  return,  and  then  they 
could  comfort  each  other.  She  did  not  mention  where 
she  was  going,  or  allude  in  any  way  to  Montgomery. 

Madam  Imbert  did  not  deem  it  good  policy  to  ask 
questions  too  closely,  and,  although  she  very  much  wished 
to  get  information,  she  remembered  my  strict  orders 
against  running  any  risk,  and  did  not  ask. 

In  the  evening  Rivers  went  up  to  Stemples's  and  took 
a  seat  in  the  bar-room,  as  it  was  the  best  place  to  gain 
information  of  what  was  going  on.  He  had  not  been  long 
there  before  Josh.  Cox  came  in  and  asked  for  Stemples. 
"  He  is  in  the  stable,"  said  Rivers  ;  "  I  will  go  and  get 
him  for  you." 

"  No,"  said  Cox,  "don't  disturb  yourself,"  and  started 
for  the  stable  himself. 

Rivers  very  politely  accompanied  him,  but  was  unable 
to  overhear  what  was  said,  as  Cox  drew  Stemples  to  one 
side  and  spoke  to  him  in  a  low  tone.  Stemples  said, 
"  All  right  !  "  and  Cox  started  off.  Rivers  stopped  him, 
and  asked  him  to  take  a  drink. 

"I   don't   mind  if   I  do,"    answered  Josh.;    and  after 


144          PINKER  TON'S  DE  TE CTIVE  S TORIES. 

drinking  he  said  :  "  I  am  in  a  d — d  hurry,"  and  was  gone. 
"  There  is  one  drink  gone  to  no  purpose,"  muttered 
Rivers,  as  he  made  his  way  to  the  barn.  He  found  Stem- 
pies  hurriedly  harnessing  up  his  team,  and  turned  in  to 
help  him. 

"  Strange  fellow,  that  Cox !  "  remarked  Stemples.  "  He 
wanted  to  get  my  team  and  not  let  me  know  where  he  was 
going.  I  told  him  he  could  not  have  it  if  he  did  not  say 
where  he  was  going,  and  he  then  said  he  was  going  to 
Chestnut  Hill,  a  few  miles  this  side  of  Philadelphia,  but 
I'll  bet  he  is  going  into  the  city.  He  said  he  would  have 
the  team  back  before  morning,  so  I  finally  consented  to 
let  him  have  it." 

This  was  startling  news  to  Rivers.  There  were  no 
horses  in  the  town  that  he  could  hire,  and  he  had  no  time 
to  harness  them  if  there  had  been.  He  managed  to  see 
Madam  Imbert,  and  reported  to  her  his  predicament. 

"  They  are  going  into  the  city,"  said  she,  "  and  you  must 
follow  them  at  all  hazards,  even  if  you  have  to  run  every 
step  of  the  way." 

Rivers  had  no  time  to  lose.  Stemples's  team  was  at  the 
door,  and  in  a  few  minutes  Josh,  came  for  it  and  drove 
down  to  his  house.  Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora  were  wait 
ing  for  him,  and,  as  he  drove  up,  got  into  the  wagon, 
while  Josh,  hoisted  up  their  trunks. 

Rivers  had  no  conveyance,  but  he  was  determined  not  to 
be  outdone  ;  he  was  young  and  athletic,  and  as  they  drove 
off  he  started  after  them  on  a  keen  run.  He  knew  he 
had  a  twelve-mile  race  before  him,  but  felt  equal  to  the 
task.  The  night  was  very  dark,  and  he  had  to  follow  by 
sound.  This  was  an  advantage  to  him,  as  it  compelled 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    145 

Cox  to  drive  somewhat  slower  than  he  otherwise  would 
have  done,  and  rendered  it  impossible  for  them  to  see 
him  from  the  wagon.  On  and  on  he  plunged  through  the 
darkness,  following  the  sound  of  the  hoofs  and  the  wheels. 
The  moments  seemed  to  have  turned  to  hours ;  when 
would  they  ever  reach  the  city?  At  times  he  felt  that  he 
must  give  up  and  drop  by  the  way ;  but  he  forced  the 
feeling  back,  and  plunged  on  with  the  determination  of 
winning.  When  they  reached  the  outskirts  of  the  city 
Josh,  reduced  his  speed,  so  that  Rivers  easily  followed 
without  attracting  attention.  Josh,  drove  to  the  corner 
of  Prime  and  Broad  streets,  to  the  depot  of  the  Philadel 
phia,  Wilmington  and  Baltimore  Railroad,  and  assisted 
Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora  to  alight.  As  usual,  there  was 
a  great  crowd  at  the  depot,  and  Rivers,  mixing  with  it, 
followed  Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora  to  the  ticket-office 
without  being  observed  by  them,  and  went  close  enough 
to  them  to  hear  her  ask  for  tickets  to  Montgomery. 
Rivers  knew  no  time  was  to  be  lost ;  it  was  a  quarter  past 
ten,  and  the  train  left  at  ten  minutes  past  eleven.  He 
rushed  out  of  the  depot,  where  he  saw  Josh,  getting  the 
baggage  checked,  and  hailing  a  hack,  said  to  the  driver: 
"  Here  is  a  five-dollar  bill  for  you  if  you  will  drive  me  to 
the  Merchants'  Hotel  and  back  in  time  to  catch  the  train." 

"  All  right,"  said  the  driver,  and  springing  to  his  seat 
he  put  his  horses  to  a  full  gallop,  and  whirled  off  toward 
the  hotel. 

Bangs  had  run  down  from  New  York  the  same  evening 
to  consult  me  on  some  matters,  and  he  and  I  were  sitting 
in  a  room  at  the  Merchants',  smoking  our  cigars,  prepara 
tory  to  retiring  after  a  hard  day's  work,  when  Rivers 


146  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

rushed  in,  and  gasped  out :  "  Get  Roch  up.  Mrs.  Maro- 
ney  and  daughter  are  on  the  train  bound  for  Montgomery." 

We  threw  our  cigars  out  of  the  window,  and  had  Roch 
up,  dressed  as  a  Dutchman,  his  trunk  packed,  and  he  into 
the  carriage  with  us  on  the  way  to  the  P.,  W.  &  B.  R.  R. 
before  he  was  fully  awake.  I  turned  out  all  the  money  I 
had  with  me  —  not  a  great  deal,  as  it  was  so  late  —  and 
rapidly  gave  him  his  instructions  as  we  drove  along.  We 
arrived  at  the  station  just  in  time.  Roch  rushed  to  the 
ticket  office,  said  "Second-class,  Montgomery,"  received 
and  paid  for  his  ticket,  and  sprang  upon  the  last  car  of 
the  train  as  it  slowly  drew  out  of  the  station.  There  were 
no  sleeping-cars  at  the  time,  which  was  fortunate  for 
him,  as,  if  there  had  been,  he  might  not  have  been 
allowed  to  get  on  the  train.  In  a  moment  the  train  dis 
appeared  in  the  gloom,  and  Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora  were 
kindly  provided  with  an  escort,  in  the  person  of  Roch. 
Leaving  them  to  pursue  their  journey,  we  will  now  return 
to  Maroney,  in  the  Eldridge  street  jail. 

White  and  Shanks  soon  came  on  from  Chicago,  and 
Bangs  gave  them  full  instructions  as  to  their  duties. 
White  was  ordered  to  follow  his  instructions  implicitly, 
and  not  to  attempt  to  move  too  fast.  Bangs  arranged  a 
cipher  for  him,  to  be  used  in  his  correspondence,  and  he 
learned  it  thoroughly,  so  as  not  to  need  a  key. 

Having  thoroughly  posted  them,  Bangs  turned  his 
attention  to  procuring  the  arrest  of  White.  He  secured 
the  services  of  a  common,  one-horse  lawyer,  and  placed 
the  case  in  his  hands.  The  lawyer  felt  highly  honored  at 
being  employed  in  a  case  of  such  magnitude,  involving 
thirty-seven  thousand  dollars,  and  remarked  that  he 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.    147 

would  soon  have  Mr.  John  White  secure  in  prison.  He 
procured  the  necessary  papers  and  placed  them  in  the 
hands  of  the  Marshal  to  execute. 

Bangs  knew  just  where  White  was  to  be  found,  but 
gave  the  Marshal  a  big  job  before  coming  across  him. 
He  searched  the  hotels,  saloons,  lawyers'  offices,  etc., 
going  up  to  the  different  places,  peeping  in,  and  then 
going  off  on  not  finding  him.  He  was  doing  an  immense 
business  hunting  for  White.  Toward  evening  White  was 
discovered  talking  to  Shanks.  The  Marshal  took  him 
into  custody  and  conducted  him  to  the  Eldridge  street 
jail.  Shanks,  being  a  stranger  in  New  York,  accompanied 
him,  so  that  he  might  know  the  place  afterwards.  White 
was  booked  at  once,  and  while  going  along  with  the  jailer 
was  asked  whether  he  wished  to  go  to  the  first  or  second- 
class,  the  jailer  judging  that  he  would  not  take  the  third- 
class.  The  first-class  was  composed  of  those  fortunate 
mortals  who  had  money  enough  to  send  out  to  the  neigh 
boring  restaurants  and  order  in  their  meals.  Of  course 
Maroney  was  in  the  first-class,  so  White  followed  suit. 
He  gave  the  jailer  the  usual  douceur  for  introducing  him 
to  the  prison,  and  then  had  his  cell  pointed  out.  White 
sen*:  Shanks,  who  had  accompanied  him  so  far,  to  fetch  his 
carpet-bag  and  some  clothes.  He  then  retired  to  his  cell 
to  meditate  over  his  painful  situation. 

He  glanced  around  amongst  the  prisoners,  and  soon 
picked  out  his  man.  Maroney  did  not  seem  to  be  doing 
any  thing  particular,  but  sat  musing  by  himself.  In  this 
manner,  brooding  over  their  misfortunes,  White  and  Ma 
roney  spent  the  evening  until  the  hour  of  retirement. 
The  next  day  White  kept  by  himself,  pondering  over  what 


148  PINKERTOiVS  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

he  should  do.  In  the  course  of  the  day  his  nephew, 
Shanks,  who  was  a  young  man  of  about  twenty,  came 
with  the,  satchel,  and  made  himself  very  useful  to  White 
by  carrying  several  messages  for  him.  Some  of  the  pris 
oners  noticed  this  and  asked  White  if  he  would  not  let 
his  nephew  do  little  outside  favors  for  them.  White  said 
"  Certainly,  I  shall  be  only  too  happy  to  assist  you  in  any 
way  I  can." 

Shanks  was  soon  such  a  favorite  with  the  prisoners  that 
he  greatly  reduced  the  perquisites  of  the  jailor.  Maroney 
gradually  became  quite  familiar  with  White.  He  would 
bid  him  good  morning  when  they  were  released  from  their 
cells,  and  take  an  occasional  turn  in  the  hall  with  him. 
They  were  shut  in  together,  and  it  became  necessary  to 
get  acquainted.  White  wrote  frequent  letters  to  his  law 
yer,  who  was  Bangs,  under  another  name,  and  received 
regular  replies,  Shanks  being  the  medium  of  communica 
tion.  This  was  a  great  convenience,  as  lawyers  are  not 
always  able  to  visit  their  clients  when  they  wish  them  to. 
Maroney  appeared  to  have  few  friends.  Mrs.  Maroney 
had  gone,  and  he  had  no  one  to  pay  him  regular  atten 
tion.  A  few  friends  would  call  occasionally,  but  their 
visits  seemed  prompted  rather  by  curiosity  than  by  a 
desire  to  assist  him,  they  gradually  grew  fewer  and  far 
ther  between,  and  finally  ceased  altogether.  He  received 
letters  from  the  South,  from  Mrs.  Maroney,  who  was  on 
her  journey,  and  from  Charlie  May,  Patterson,  and 
Porter,  at  Montgomery.  These  friends  kept  him  well 
posted.  The  letters  sent  by  Porter  were  copies  of  those 
I  sent  him,  and  were  on  the  general  topics  of  the  day. 
Porter  said  he  was  sorry  to  have  to  address  him  in 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.    149 

Eldridge  street  jail,  and  wished  he  could  be  of  some 
assistance  to  him.  He  alluded  with  anger  to  the  report 
which  had  been  circulated  of  his,  (Maroney's)  marriage. 
Of  course  all  his  friends  at  Patterson's  knew  he  had  been 
married  for  years,  and  that  the  report  was  a  dodge  of  the 
Express  Company  to  make  him  unpopular.  Outside 
of  his  friends  at  Patterson's,  every  one  in  Montgomery 
seemed  to  believe  the  slander,  and  many  said  they  always 
thought  there  was  something  wrong  about  Mrs.  Maroney, 
and  they  expected  nothing  better  from  her.  Many,  also, 
said  they  had  a  poor  opinion  of  him  and  believed  he  had 
committed  the  robbery.  Porter  concluded  by  stating 
that  McGibony,  the  detective,  seemed  completely  non 
plussed,  and  had  but  little  to  say  about  the  matter.  He, 
(Porter)  had  conversed  with  him,  and  McGibony  seemed 
of  the  opinion  that  it  was  a  move  of  the  Adams  Express 
to  place  him  in  an  odious  position  with  the  inhabitants 
of  Montgomery. 

After  the  receipt  of  this  letter,  Maroney  appeared  to 
be  exceedingly  down  hearted.  White  noticed  it,  and  so 
reported  to  Bangs.  As  Mrs.  Maroney  had  not  yet  arrived 
in  Montgomery,  she  was  of  course  entirely  unaware  that 
the  news  of  their  marriage  had  been  spread  broadcast, 
and  her  letters  were  quite  cheerful. 

White  was  occasionally  drawn  into  a  game  of  cards. 
Euchre  was  the  game  generally  played;  he  was  well  able 
to  hold  his  hand,  and  seldom  lost.  The  stakes  were  gen 
erally  for  the  cigars,  or  something  in  a  liquid  shape,  and 
the  supplies  were  brought  in  by  Shanks.  Maroney  would 
sometimes  take  a  hand,  but  it  was  a  careless  habit  with 
him,  and  he  did  not  care  how  he  played.  As  time 


150          PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

passed  away  the  prisoners  became  well  acquainted,  and 
would  talk  over  the  various  reasons  for  their  imprison 
ment.  At  certain  times  of  the  day  they  would  be  visited 
by  their  lawyers.  Maroney  had  no  lawyer  engaged,  but 
keenly  watched  those  that  came,  in  order  to  see  which 
was  the  smartest,  so  that  he  might  know  whom  to  employ 
should  he  require  one's  services.  Maroney  was  a  smart 
man,  and  he  gradually  came  to  the  conclusion  that  a 
lawyer  named  Joachimson  would  be  the  right  man  for 
him.  White  observed  that  he  began  to  nod  to  him,  and 
that  they  always  exchanged  the  compliments  of  the  day. 
This  was  as  far  as  he  went  at  present,  it  being  evidently 
his  intention  not  to  employ  counsel  until  Mrs.  Maroney 
returned  from  the  South.  At  least  these  were  his 
thoughts  so  far  as  White  could  fathom  them. 

Leaving  Maroney  for  the  present,  we  will  glance  at 
Jenkintown.  Here  everything  was  quiet ;  in  other  words, 
quotations  were  low  and  no  sales.  Madam  Imbert  had 
little  to  do.  She  walked  in  the  pleasure  grounds  with 
Miss  Johnson,  or  called  at  Mrs.  Cox's,  with  whom  the 
Madam  was  now  on  the  best  of  terms.  Mrs.  Cox  had  a 
number  of  children  and  the  Madam  often  bought  them 
little  presents  and  exerted  a  kindly  influence  over  them. 
Whenever  Miss  Johnson  and  she  met  Josh,  on  the  street 
they  would  notice  him,  and  the  attention  would  make 
him  feel  quite  proud.  De  Forest  acted  the  same  as 
before,  and  was  becoming  rather  sweet  on  Miss  Johnson. 
Madam  Imbert  was  sad  and  melancholy,  and  repelled  all 
his  advances  with  quiet  dignity.  We  will  leave  them  to 
enjoy  their  easy  times,  having  to  make  only  two  reports 
a  week,  while  we  follow  Mrs.  Maroney  and  Roch. 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

NOTHING  worthy  of  record  occurred  on  the  jour 
ney  and  they  arrived  at  Montgomery  in  due  time. 
Rocn  telegraphed  to  Porter  from  Augusta,  Ga.,  that  they 
were  coming,  and  he,  having  been  previously  informed 
of  the  fact,  was,  of  course,  at  the  station  to  meet  them. 
He  was  now  Maroney's  bosom  friend,  and  as  such  paid 
much  attention  to  Mrs.  Maroney.  He  met  her  at  the 
depot  with  a  carriage  when  she  arrived,  and  conducted 
Flora  and  her  to  the  Exchange  Hotel  and  gave  them  a 
room. 

The  difficulty  with  Mr.  Floyd  had  been  smoothed  over 
and  she  soon  felt  at  home.  But  something  strange 
seemed  to  have  taken  place  in  Montgomery.  Porter,  of 
course,  paid  her  great  attention  and  gave  her  one  of  the 
best  rooms  the  house  afforded ;  but  all  the  ladies  she  met 
during  the  day  passed  her  very  coolly.  The  gentlemen 
were  all  friendly,  but  not  so  cordial  as  usual.  She  could 
not  understand  it. 

She  did  not  go  out  much  the  first  day,  but  called  up 
the  porter,  and,  going  to  the  garret  with  him,  pointed  out 
the  old  trunk  and  had  him  take  it  down  to  her  room. 
The  following  day  she  called  at  Charlie  May's.  Some 
thing  unusual  must  have  happened,  as  she  left  there  in 
bitter  anguish.  The  house  was  near  the  hotel  and  Porter 
had  seen  her  go  in  and  come  out.  She  wore  no  veil  and 


152  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

the  traces  of  her  grief  were  plainly  visible.  She  returned 
to  the  hotel  and  went  to  her  room.  Porter,  in  a  short 
time,  stepped  up,  knocked  at  her  door  and  enquired  of 
Flora  how  her  ma  was.  Flora  said  her  ma  was  not  well, 
that  she  had  a  bad  headache.  He  was  bound  to  get  in, 
so  he  pushed  past  the  child  and  saw  Mrs.  Maroney  lying 
on  the  bed  crying.  Being  the  clerk  of  the  hotel,  his 
coming  in  would  not  be  considered  unusual. 

He  enquired  if  there  was  nothing  he  could  do  for  her, 
and  she  said  no.  He  surmised  what  had  happened  and 
concluded  he  could  find  out  all  about  it  at  Patterson's. 
He  went  over  to  Patterson's  and  met  Charlie  May. 
Charlie  said  that  Mrs.  Maroney  had  called  on  his  wife, 
but  had  been  roughly  handled  —  tongued  would  be  the 
proper  word.  Mrs.  May  informed  her  of  what  she  had 
read  and  otherwise  heard  about  her  getting  married  at 
this  late  date. 

Mrs.  Maroney  denied  the  report  and  declared  that  they 
had  been  married  in  Savannah  long  before ;  that  they 
had  afterwards  lived  in  New  Orleans,  Augusta,  Ga.,  and 
finally  had  settled  in  Montgomery. 

Mrs.  May  replied  that  it  was  useless  for  her  to  try  and 
live  the  report  down  ;  that  the  ladies  of  Montgomery  had 
determined  not  to  recognize  her,  and  that  she  had  been 
tabooed  from  society.  Mrs.  May  grew  wrathful  and 
warned  Mrs.  Maroney  to  beware  how  she  conducted  her 
self  toward  Mr.  May. 

Mrs.  Maroney  rose  proudly  from  her  chair,  and  giving 
Mrs.  May  a  look  that  made  her  tremble,  said  : 

"  Mr.  Maroney  is  as   thoroughly  a  gentleman   as  Mr. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    153 

May  or  any  one  in  Montgomery,  and  he  is  capable  of  pro 
tecting  himself  and  me." 

She  then  flounced  out  of  the  house  and  returned  to  the 
hotel. 

She  remained  in  her  room  all  day,  but  on  the  following 
morning  went  to  the  office  of  her  husband's  counsel, 
where  she  remained  some  time,  and  then  returned  to  the 
hotel. 

Porter  was  summoned  to  her  room,  and  on  going  up 
she  asked  him  if  McGibony  was  around.  Porter  said  he 
presumed  he  was  at  the  Court  House.  Mrs.  Maroney 
then  said  : 

"  I  would  like  to  see  him  !  My  poor  husband  is  in 
trouble  and  I  need  the  assistance  of  all  his  friends,  not 
but  that  he  will  eventually  prove  himself  innocent  and 
make  the  company  pay  him  heavy  damages  for  their 
outrageous  persecution  !  but  he  is,  at  present,  in  the  hands 
of  the  enemy.  If  he  were  only  in  the  South,  it  would 
be  very  different.  Here  he  would  have  many  kind  friends 
to  assist  him ;  there  he  has  not  one  who  will  turn  a  finger 
to  help  him.  Mr.  Maroney  and  I  are  aware  of  the  scandal 
that  has  been  spread  about  us,  but  we  will  soon  put  our 
timid  friends  to  the  blush.  They  think  it  will  be  hard 
for  Maroney  to  fight  a  wealthy  corporation  like  the 
Adams  Express,  and,  instead  of  helping  him,  seem  in 
clined  to  join  the  stronger  party.  With  them  '  might 
makes  right,'  and  when  Maroney  gains  the  day,  how  they 
will  come  crawling  back  to  congratulate  him  and  say, 
'  We  always  felt  that  you  were  innocent.'  O  Mr.  Porter,  it 
is  a  shame.  Why  is  Maroney  held  a  prisoner  in  the  North, 
when  he  should  be  tried  before  a  jury  of  his  fellow  South- 


154  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STOR/ES. 

erners  ?  What  will  not  money  do  in  this  country?  But 
I  will  show  the  Adams  Express  that  they  are  not  dealing 
with  a  weak,  timid  woman.  I  have  just  been  ro  see  my 
husband's  counsel  and  have  made  arrangements  to  get  a 
requisition  from  the  Governor  of  Alabama  on  the  Gov 
ernor  of  New  York  to  have  my  husband  brought  here.  I 
want  McGibony  to  go  North  and  bring  him  down.  Of 
course  he  would  not  attempt  to  escape,  but  it  will  be 
necessary  to  keep  up  the  form  of  having  him  in  the 
charge  of  an  officer,  and  I  think  McGibony  the  proper 
man  to  send.  If  McGibony  will  not  go  I  shall  have  to 
ask  you,  Mr.  Porter,  to  execute  the  commission." 

Porter,  not  having  any  orders  how  to  act,  said  :  "  I 
will  think  the  matter  over,  and  have  no  doubt  but  that 
McGibony  will  be  well  pleased  to  go.  There  is  only  one 
difficulty,  and  that  is,  he  may  not  have  the  necessary 
cash." 

"That  need  not  deter  him,"  she  replied,  eagerly.  "I 
have  plenty  of  money,  and  will  gladly  pay  him  all  he 
asks." 

"I  will  find  him  and  bring  him  to  your  room,"  said 
Porter,  as  he  walked  away. 

He  went  down  stairs  and  immediately  telegraphed  to 
Bangs,  in  cipher,  informing  him  of  all  he  had  learned, 
and  asking  for  instructions  in  regard  to  acting  as  Mrs. 
Maroney's  agent  in  bringing  Maroney  to  Montgomery. 

Bangs  held  a  consultation  with  the  General  Superin 
tendent.  The  reasons  for  Mrs.  Maroney's  trip  South 
were  now  plain,  and  it  was  necessary  for  the  company's 
counsel  at  Montgomery  to  give  the  matter  immediate 
attention.  The  General  Superintendent  telegraphed  to 


77/7:   EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.    155 

Watts,  Judd  &:  Jackson  of  Mrs.  Maroney's  intended  coup 
d'etat,  and  ordered  them  to  take  the  necessary  steps  to 
checkmate  her,  while  Bangs  ordered  Porter  to  avoid 
acting  as  Mrs.  Maroney's  agent. 

In  the  meantime  Porter  found  McGibony,  and  con 
ducted  him  to  Mrs.  Maroney's  room.  He  learned  that 
Charlie  May  and  Patterson  had  come  up  during  his 
absence.  Mrs.  Maroney  made  her  desire  known  to  Mc 
Gibony,  and  he  at  once  accepted  the  commission.  She 
thanked  him,  and  remarked  that  she  hoped  to  have  all 
in  readiness  in  a  few  days. 

Charlie  May  was  very  attentive  to  her,  and  she  seemed 
to  thoroughly  appreciate  him,  although  his  wife  had 
treated  her  so  cavalierly  the  day  before. 

After  dismissing  the  rest  of  the  party  she  had  a  long, 
private  conversation  with  Patterson.  In  an  hour  Patter 
son  came  down  and  went  to  a  livery  stable  where  "  Yan 
kee  Mary  "  was  known  to  be  kept,  and  soon  after  Mrs. 
Maroney  had  an  interview  with  the  proprietor  of  the 
livery-stable.  Porter  had  become  one  of  the  clique,  and 
found  that  Maroney  had  a  large  interest  in  the  stable. 
"  Yankee  Mary  "  was  Maroney's  own  property,  and  his 
business  with  the  livery-stables  in  Chattanooga  and  Nash 
ville  was  to  examine  and  buy  horses  for  his  stables  in 
Montgomery.  In  a  couple  of  days  Maroney's  interest  in 
the  stable  was  disposed  of  to  Patterson,  and  the  money 
paid  over  to  Mrs.  Maroney.  "  Yankee  Mary  "  was  not 
sold,  and  still  remained  the  property  of  Maroney. 

All  these  transactions  Porter  duly  reported  to  Bangs, 
and  Bangs  to  the  Vice-President.  They  decided  to  secure 
"  Yankee  Mary  "  for  the  company,  and  Watts,  Judd  & 


156  PIXKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STOKIES. 

jdckson  were  instructed  to  attach  her.  This  they  did, 
and  she  changed  hands,  being  afterwards  cared  for  in  the 
stables  of  the  Express  Company. 

Flora  was  much  neglected,  as  Mrs.  Maroney  devoted 
all  her  time  to  business.  She  was  continually  out  in  the 
company  of  Charlie  May,  Patterson,  the  livery-stable 
keeper,  Porter,  or  McGibony. 

At  last  it  was  announced  by  her  counsel  that  the  "  die 
was  cast,"  and  the  requisition  refused  ;  so  McGibony  was 
spared  the  trouble  of  going  North.  The  Governor  of 
Alabama  came  to  the  conclusion  that  he  could  not  ask 
the  Governor  of  New  York  to  deliver  up  a  man  who  was 
a  prisoner  of  the  United  States  government,  charged  with 
feloniously  holding  money,until  judgment  was  rendered 
against  him.  Mrs.  Maroney  found  she  could  do  nothing 
in  Montgomery,  so  she  packed  up  and,  with  Flora,  started 
for  Atlanta.  Porter  had  Roch  at  the  depot,  and  as  soon  as 
she  started,  she  was  again  under  the  care  of  the  Dutchman. 
At  Atlanta  she  put  up  at  the  Atlanta  House,  while  Roch 
took  quarters  in  a  low  boarding-house.  He  watched 
closely,  but  was  careful  not  to  be  seen,  or  to  excite  suspi 
cion.  Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora  remained  in  the  hotel, 
not  coming  down,  for  twenty-four  hours.  She  was,  no 
doubt  arranging  something,  but  what,  was  a  mystery. 

What  she  did  will  be  eventually  disclosed.  The  first 
notice  Roch  had  of  her  movements,  v/as  when  she  came 
out  of  the  hotel  with  Flora,  and  was  driven  to  the  depot. 
He  had  just  time  to  get  to  his  boarding-house,  pay  his 
bill,  seize  his  satchel,  and  get  upon  the  train  as  it  moved 
off.  Mrs.  Maroney  acted  much  as  her  husband  did  when 
he  left  Chattanooga  so  suddenly.  "  They  are  as  alike  as 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.    157 

two  peas,"  thought  Roch ;  "  both  are  secret  in  all  their 
movements,  and  make  no  confidants.*' 

But  the  eye  of  the  detective  never  sleeps,  and  Maroney 
and  his  wife  were  always  outwitted.  While  they  greatly 
exulted  over  their  shrewdness,  the  detective,  whom  they 
thought  they  had  bewildered,  was  quietly  gazing  at  them 
from  the  rear  window  of  the  "nigger  car." 

Roch  found  that  Mrs.  Maroney  had  bought  a  ticket  to 
Augusta,  Ga.;  but  before  reaching  that  city,  she  suddenly 
left  the  train  at  Union  Point.  There  was  a  train  in  waiting, 
which  she  immediately  took,  and  went  to  Athens.  Roch 
knew  nothing  about  the  country  they  were  passing  through, 
and  was  following  blindly  wherever  she  led.  They  had 
not  gone  far  on  their  new  route  when  Athens  was 
announced.  Roch  saw  Mrs.  Maroney  getting  Flora  and 
herself  in  readiness  to  leave  the  train.  When  the  cars 
stopped  at  the  station  Flora  and  she  got  out,  stepped  into 
an  omnibus,  and  were  taken  to  the  Lanier  House.  Roch 
followed,  and  when  they  entered  the  hotel,  went  to  a 
restaurant  and  got  some  refreshments. 

Athens  was  a  thriving  inland  town.  After  Roch  had 
finished  his  meal  he  strolled  around,  and  finally  arrived 
in  front  of  the  Lanier  House.  Puffing  away  at  his  pipe, 
he  took  a  scat  on  the  verandah.  Here  he  mused  for  some 
time,  apparently  half  asleep,  when  he  was  aroused  by  the 
clattering  of  hoofs  and  the  rumbling  of  wheels,  and  look 
ing  up  the  street  he  saw  a  stage  approaching.  It  drew 
up  in  front  of  the  hotel,  and  a  knot  of  people  gathered 
around  it.  While  the  horses  were  being  changed,  the 
driver  rushed  into  the  bar-room  to  take  a  drink.  Roch 
listlessly  looked  at  the  hurry  and  bustle,  but  suddenly 


158  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

sprang  to  his  feet,  and  almost  dropped  his  inseparable 
companion — his  pipe — from  his  mouth,  for  whom  should 
he  see  escorted  from  the  hotel,  and  assisted  into  the 
stage,  by  the  landlord,  with  many  a  bow  and  flourish,  but 
Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora  ?  Her  baggage  was  not  brought 
down,  so  that  he  was  certain  she  would  return.  He  had 
no  time  to  think  over  the  best  plan  to  pursue,  but  deter 
mined  to  accompany  her  at  all  hazards. 

The  driver  came  out,  mounted  his  seat  and  Roch  got 
up  beside  him.  It  must  be  admitted  that  he  was  badly  off 
for  an  excuse  to  account  for  his  movements,  as  he  knew 
nothing  of  the  country,  and  did  not  know  where  the  stage 
was  going.  The  driver  was  a  long,  lank  Southerner, 
burned  as  brown  as  a  berry  by  the  sun.  He  always  had 
a  huge  "chaw  "  of  tobacco  stowed  away  in  the  side  of  his 
left  cheek,  and,  as  he  drove  along,  would  deposit  its  juice 
with  unerring  aim  on  any  object  that  attracted  his  atten 
tion.  He  was  very  talkative,  and  at  once  entered  into 
conversation  with  Roch  "Wai  stranger,  whar  yar 
bound  ?  "  was  his  first  salutation. 

Roch  looked  at  him  in  a  bewildered  way,  and  then  said, 
"  Nichts  verstehe  !  ' 

"  Whar  are  yar  gwine  ?  Are  yar  a  through  passenger, 
or  whar  are  yar  gwine  ?  " 

"  Vel,  I  vish  to  see  de  country.  I  vil  go  mit  you  till  I 
see  von  ceety  vot  I  likes,  und  den  I  vil  get  out  mit  it !  " 

"  Oh !  "  said  the  driver,  in  a  patronizing  tone,  "  yar 
parspectin',  are  yar?  "  And  so  they  kept  up  a  conversa 
tion,  from  which  Roch  gleaned  that  the  stage  was  bound 
for  Anderson's  Court  House,  S.  C.  Whenever  the  driver 
would  ask  a  question  he  did  not  like  to  answer,  he  would 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    15& 

say,  "  nichts  verstehe,"  and  so  tided  over  all  his  difficul 
ties.  The  passengers,  one  lady  and  three  gentlemen 
besides  Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora,  amused  themselves  in 
various  ways  as  they  drove  along.  The  gentlemen 
smoked  and  conversed,  and  the  other  lady  seemed  very 
agreeable ;  but  Mrs.  Maroney  did  not  say  a  word  to  any 
one  but  Flora.  Roch  as  he  occasionally  glanced  over  his 
shoulder  at  her,  observed  that  she  seemed  to  be  suffering 
from  much  care  and  anxiety. 

Eight  miles  out  from  Athens  the  driver  stopped  to 
change  his  horses,  and  Roch  took  advantage  of  this  cir 
cumstance  to  get  a  little  familiar  with  him.  He  found 
this  an  easy  matter.  A  few  drinks  and  some  cigars  to 
smoke  on  the  road  —  which  he  treated  him  to — put  him 
in  such  a  good  humor  that  he  declared,  as  they  drove  off, 
that  it  was  a  pity  his  German  friend  was  not  a  white  man. 
Roch  wondered  if  all  the  negroes  spoke  German,  but 
said  nothing. 

They  drove  along  through  a  rich  agricultural  country 
until  they  arrived  at  Danielsville,  about  sixteen  miles 
from  Athens.  Here  Mrs.  Maroney  touched  the  driver 
and  asked  him  if  he  knew  where  Mrs.  Maroney  lived. 
Oh  !  thought  Roch,  now  I  see  her  object  in  coming  here. 
The  driver  knew  the  place  well,  and  drove  up  to  a  hand 
some  mansion,  evidently  the  dwelling  of  a  wealthy  planter. 

Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora  left  the  coach  and  walked  up 
through  a  beautifully  laid  out  garden  to  the  house;  a  two 
story  frame,  with  wide  verandahs  all  around  it,  and  buried 
in  a  mass  of  foliage.  She  was  met  at  the  door  by  a  lady, 
who  kissed  both  her  and  Flora,  and,  relieving  her  of  the 
satchel,  conducted  them  into  the  house. 


160  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

Roch  in  his  broken  way  told  the  driver  that  he  liked 
the  appearance  of  the  town  so  much  that  he  thought  he 
would  stop  over.  They  drove  up  to  the  tavern  and  Roch 
asked  the  driver  in  to  have  a  drink  with  him.  As  they 
went  into  the  bar-room  they  met  the  clerk,  and  Roch 
politely  asked  him  to  join  them.  He  informed  the  driver 
that  he  might  go  back  with  him  in  a  day  or  two.  The 
driver  did  not  pay  much  attention  to  what  he  said,  as  all  he 
really  cared  for  was  the  drink.  After  the  stage  left,  Roch 
entered  into  conversation  with  the  clerk,  and,  under  pre 
tense  of  settling  in  the  town,  made  enquiries  about  the 
owners  of  several  places  he  passed  on  the  road.  Finally 
he  asked  who  the  handsome  residence  on  the  hill  belonged 
to.  "  That  is  Mr.  Maroney's  place.  He  is  one  of  the 
'solid'  men  of  the  town;  worth  a  great  deal  of  money; 
has  some  niggers,  and  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  the  com 
munity,  as  he  is  a  perfect  gentleman." 

In  the  evening  he  dropped  into  a  saloon,  where  he 
formed  the  acquaintance  of  several  old  saloon-loafers, 
who  were  perfectly  familiar  with  everybody's  business  but 
their  own,  and  from  them  gathered  much  useful  informa 
tion  of  the  surrounding  country,  and  had  the  clerk's  opin 
ion  of  Mr.  Maroney  fully  endorsed. 

Roch  was  up  early  in  the  morning  and  strolling  around. 
He  met  an  old  negro  who  informed  him  that  the  stage  for 
Athens  would  be  along  in  three  hours.  He  sauntered  care 
lessly  to  Mr.  Maroney's,  and  watched  the  house  from  a 
safe  position,  but,  as  the  blinds  were  closed,  could  see  no 
signs  of  preparation  within.  He  therefore  returned  to 
the  tavern,  with  the  determination  of  keeping  a  watch  on 
the  stage.  He  had  waited  about  an  hour,  when  a  gen- 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    161 

tleman  walked  up  the  steps  to  the  stage  office,  which  was 
in  the  tavern.  He  heard  the  clerk  say,  "  Good  morning, 
Mr.  Maroney,"  which  immediately  put  him  on  the  alert. 

''  Good  morning,"  responded  Mr.  Maroney.  "  I  want 
to  secure  three  seats  in  the  stage  for  Athens ;  want  them 
this  morning."  Securing  his  tickets,  he  went  home,  leav 
ing  Roch  once  more  at  his  ease,  as  he  now  knew  exactly 
what  move  to  make.  When  the  stage  drove  up,  he  called 
in  the  driver,  stood  treat,  and  again  took  a  seat  beside 
him.  The  clerk  told  the  driver  to  call  at  Mr.  Maroney's 
for  some  passengers,  and  they  started  off.  Mr.  Maroney, 
Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora  were  at  the  gate  when  they  drove 
up,  and  all  three  entered  the  stage  and  went  to  Athens. 
At  Athens  they  stopped  a  short  time  at  the  Lanier  House; 
sent  their  baggage  dov/v.  to  the  depot,  and  took  the  train 
on  the  Washington  Branch  Railroad,  which  connects  with 
the  main  line  at  Union  Point.  Mr.  Maroney  bid  them 
good-bye,  and  returned  to  the  Lanier  House.  The  train 
consisted  of  only  one  car,  and  Roch  had  to  take  a  seat  in 
the  same  car  with  Mrs.  Maroney,  but  he  went  in  behind 
her,  and  took  a  seat  in  the  rear  of  the  car,  so  that  he 
remained  unnoticed. 

Mrs.  Maroney  was  very  restless,  and  after  they  took 
the  through  train  at  Union  Point,  would  carefully  scan 
the  features  of  all  the  well-dressed  men  who  entered  the 
car.  She  seemed  to  suspect  every  one  around  her,  and 
acted  in  a  most  peculiar  manner.  In  a  short  time  they 
reached  Augusta,  Ga.,  where  Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora 
left  the  train  and  put  up  at  the  principal  hotel.  It  was 
late  when  they  arrived,  so  that  they  immediately  look 
supper  and  retired.  Roch  found  a  room  in  a  restaurant, 
ii 


162  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

and  after  his  supper  strolled  through  the  hotel,  but  dis 
covered  nothing,  as  Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora  remained 
quiet  in  their  room. 

The  following  afternoon  Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora  left 
the  hotel,  accompanied  by  a  gentleman,  and  once  more 
started  for  the  North.  The  gentleman  accompanied  them 
to  Wilmington,  N.  C.  During  the  whole  of  the  journey, 
Mrs.  Maroney  acted,  metaphorically,  as  if  sitting  on 
thorns.  She  did  not  seem  at  all  pleased  at  the  attention 
paid  her  by  the  gentleman.  When  he  would  ask  her  a 
question  she  would  glance  at  him  with  a  startled  fright 
ened  look,  and  answer  him  very  abruptly.  She  seemed 
much  relieved  when  he  bade  them  good-bye.  Roch  was 
sitting  in  the  rear  of  the  second-class  car  and  could  keep 
a  strict  watch  on  her  movements.  Not  a  person  got  on 
or  off  the  train  whom  she  did  not  carefully  observe. 
Two  or  three  times  during  the  night  she  fell  into  a  rest 
less  sleep,  but  always  started  up  with  a  wild  look  of  agony 
in  her  face.  Day  or  night  she  seemed  to  have  no  peace, 
and  by  the  time  they  reached  Philadelphia  she  had  become 
so  haggard  and  worn  as  to  appear  fully  ten  years  older 
than  when  she  started. 

Roch  telegraphed  to  Bangs  from  Baltimore,  informing 
him  of  the  time  he  would  arrive  in  Philadelphia,  and 
Green  and  Rivers  were  at  the  station  to  relieve  him  — 
Green  to  "shadow"  Mrs.  Maroney  and  Rivers  to  see 
what  disposition  would  be  made  of  her  baggnge,  and  if  he 
found  it  transferred  to  Jenkintown  to  follow  it  and  be  on 
hand  there  when  Mrs.  Maroney  arrived.  Roch  went  to 
the  office  and  reported  to  Bangs.  He  said  that  he  had 
never  seen  so  strange  a  woman ;  she  had  acted  on  the 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    168 

whole  journey  as  if  troubled  with  a  guilty  conscience. 
He  felt  confident  she  had  something  concealed,  but  could 
take  no  steps  in  the  matter  until  he  was  absolutely 
certain,  beyond  a  doubt,  that  his  suspicions  were  correct. 
My  orders  were  clear  on  this  point  —  never  make  a  deci 
sive  move  unless  you  are  positive  you  are  right.  If  you 
are  watching  a  person,  and  know  he  has  something  con 
cealed,  arrest  him  and  search  his  person;  otherwise,  no 
matter  how  strong  your  suspicions,  do  not  act  upon  them, 
as  a  single  misstep  of  this  sort  may  lose  the  case,  and  is 
certain  to  put  the  parties  on  their  guard,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  to  overthrow  the  labor  of  months. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

WHEN  Mrs.  Maroney  left  the  cars  at  the  corner 
of  Prime  and  Broad  streets,  she  accidentally  ran 
across  De  Forest,  who  was  in  the  city  on  some  business 
of  his  own. 

"Oh!  I  am  so  glad  to  meet  you,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Ma 
roney. 

"  And  I  am  delighted  to  hear  you  say  so,"  replied  De 
Forest. 

The  poor  fellow  had  missed  her  sadly.  She  had  parted 
from  him  in  anger,  and  he  felt  cut  to  the  quick  by  her 
cold  treatment.  He  had  at  first  determined  to  blot  her 
memory  from  his  heart,  and  for  this  purpose  turned  his 
attention  to  Miss  Johnson,  and  tried  to  get  up  the  same 
tender  feeling  for  her  with  which  Mrs.  Maroney  had 
inspired  him,  but  he  found  it  impossible.  He  missed 
Mrs.  Maroney's  black  flashing  eye,  one  moment  filled 
with  tenderness,  the  next  sparkling  with  laughter.  Then 
Mrs.  Maroney  had  a  freedom  of  manners  that  placed  him 
at  once  at  his  ease,  while  Miss  Johnson  was  rather  prudish, 
quite  sarcastic,  and  somehow  he  felt  that  he  always  made 
a  fool  of  himself  in  her  presence.  Besides,  Miss  Johnson 
was  marriageable,  and  much  as  De  Forest  loved  the  sex, 
he  loved  his  freedom  more.  His  morals  were  on  a  par 
with  those  of  Sheridan's  son,  who  wittily  asked  his 
father,  just  after  he  had  been  lecturing  him,  and  advising 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.     165 

him  to  take  a  wife,  "But,  father,  whose  wife  shall  I  take?" 
Day  after  day  passed  wearily  to  him ;  Jenkintown  with 
out  Mrs.  Maroney  was  a  dreary  waste.  He  felt  that 
"Absence  makes  the  heart  grow  fonder,"  so  when  Mrs. 
Maroney  greeted  him  so  heartily  he  was  overjoyed. 

"Have  you  been  far  South?"  he  asked. 

"  Yes,  indeed  ?  Flora  and  I  have  not  had  our  clothes 
off  for  five  days,  and  we  are  completely  exhausted ;  what 
a  fright  I  must  look  !" 

"You  look  perfectly  charming!  at  least  to  me  you  do," 
fervently  answered  De  Forest.  "  Let  me  have  your  bag 
gage  transferred  to  the  North  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  In 
that  way  you  '  can  send  it  to  Jenkintown  without  any 
trouble.  You  and  Flora  honor  me  with  your  company  to 
Mitchell's,  where  we  will  have  some  refreshments,  and 
then  I  will  drive  you  home  in  my  buggy." 

After  a  little  persuasibn  Mrs.  Maroney  consented  to  the 
arrangement,  and  De  Forest,  once  more  himself,  got  their 
baggage  checked  to  Jenkintown,  and  calling  a  hackman, 
as  he  had  left  his  own  team  in  the  stable,  they  were 
driven  to  Mitchell's.  Green  followed  them  up  and 
watched  them  from  the  steps  of  Independence  Hall, 
while  Rivers  mounted  the  baggage-wagon  and  was  driven 
to  the  North  Pennsylvania  station,  and  in  less  than  an 
hour  was  in  Jenkintown.  De  Forest  ordered  a  substantial 
meal  at  Mitchell's,  and  when  they  had  finished  it,  ordered 
his  team  and  drove  gaily  out  of  the  city,  closely  wedged 
in  between  Mrs.  Maroney  and  Flora. 

When  he  went  to  get  his  team  he  hurriedly  reported  to 
the  Vice-President  that  he  had  Mrs.  Maroney  at  Mitch 
ell's,  and  that  her  former  coolness  had  vanished.  As  they 


166  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

drove  up  to  Cox's,  Mrs.  Maroney  was  much  pleased  to 
meet  Madam  Imbert  and  Miss  Johnson.  The  ladies 
bowed,  and  Mrs.  Maroney  requested  the  Madam  to  stop 
a  moment,  as  she  had  something  to  tell  her.  Madam 
Imbert  told  Miss  Johnson  to  walk  on  home,  while  she 
went  to  Cox's,  and  was  warmly  embraced  by  Mrs.  Maro 
ney.  How  De  Forest  envied  her !  De  Forest  drove  up 
to  the  tavern  with  his  team,  and  the  rest  of  the  party 
went  into  the  house,  where  they  were  cordially  welcomed 
by  Mrs.  Cox. 

Mrs.  Maroney  said  she  was  tired  almost  to  death,  but 
wanted  a  few  moments'  conversation  with  the  Madam 
before  she  changed  her  clothing.  "  Madam  Imbert,"  she 
said,  "you  don't  know  how  happy  I  am  to  meet  you.  I 
have  just  come  from  the  South,  where  all  my  husband's 
friends  are.  He  is  now  in  deep  trouble,  and  is  held  a 
prisoner  in  New  York,  at  the  instigation  of  the  Adams 
Express  Company,  who  charge  him  with  having  robbed 
them  of  some  fifty  thousand  dollars.  They  charge  him 
with  committing  this  robbery  in  Montgomery,  but  hold 
him  in  New  York.  I  went  South  for  the  purpose  of  get 
ting  a  requisition  for  his  immediate  return  to  Montgomery. 
When  I  got  there  I  was  much  surprised  to  find  that  nearly 
all  his  influential  friends  had  taken  the  part  of  the  com 
pany,  and  I  now  return  almost  crazed,  without  being  able 
to  get  the  necessary  papers,  and  my  poor  husband  must 
languish  in  jail,  I  don't  know  how  long." 

"  Mrs.  Maroney,  I  can  sympathize  with  you  thoroughly. 
When  my  husband  was  prosperous  we  had  hosts  of 
friends  —  friends  whom  I  thought  would  always  be  true 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.      167 

to  us  ;  but  the  moment  he  got  into  trouble  they  were 
gone,  and  the  only  friend  I  now  have  is  the  abundance  of 
money  he  left  me." 

"  In  this  respect  I  cannot  complain,"  replied  Mrs. 
Maroney,  "as  my  husband  gave  me  money  enough  to 
support  me  a  lifetime  ;  but  it  is  so  hard  to  be  separated 
from  him  !  I  am  fortunate  in  having  found  a  friend  like 
you,  Madam  Imbert,  and  I  trust  we  may  spend  many 
hours  together.  I  must  write  a  letter  to  my  husband  to 
let  him  know  I  am  again  in  the  North." 

"  1  will  take  it  down  to  the  postoffice  for  you,"  said 
Madam  Imbert. 

"  Oh,  no,  I  thank  you,  I  will  not  put  you  to  the  trouble; 
Josh,  is  going  down  to  Stemples's,  and  he  will  post  it 
for  me." 

Madam  Imbert  could  not  well  stay  longer  as  Mrs. 
Maroney  seemed  very  tired.  So  she  bade  her  good-bye, 
Mrs.  Maroney  promising  to  call  on  her  the  next  day. 

She  was  not  satisfied  with  what  she  had  accomplished, 
and  feared  that  Mrs.  Maroney  had  some  secret  arrange 
ment  under  way.  As  she  walked  musingly  along,  she 
met  Rivers  in  a  place  where  no  one  appeared  in  sight. 

"Rivers,  I  wish  you  would  keep  a  sharp  lookout  on 
Cox's  to-night.  I  think  they  are  up  to  something,  but 
what,  I  can't  find  out.  Will  you  ?  " 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Rivers  ;  "  I  am  pretty  well  tired 
out,  but  I  can  stand  it  for  a  week,  if  necessary." 

"  There  is  another  thing  which  ought  to  be  attended 
to,"  said  Madam  Imbert.  "  Mrs.  Maroney  is  writing  a 
letter  to  her  husband  ;  I  think  it  is  an  important  one. 
Don't  you  think  you  could  manage  to  get  possession  of 


168  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

it  ?  She  is  going  to  send  it  to  S temples 's  by  Josh.,  so  you 
might  get  him  drunk  and  then  gain  possession  of  it." 

"  Leave  that  to  me.  I  think  I  can  work  it  all  right," 
said  Rivers,  as  they  separated,  no  one  being  aware  of 
their  interview. 

Rivers  went  to  Stemples's,  and  calling  up  every  one  in 
the  bar-room,  asked  them  to  have  a  drink.  Barclay  and 
Horton  were  there,  and  as  they  swallowed  their  liquor, 
looked  at  each  other  and  winked.  Horton  whispered  : 
"  Rivers  is  a  little  '  sprung  '  to-day." 

"  D — d  tight,  in  my  opinion,"  replied  Barclay. 

In  a  few  moments  Josh,  came  in,  and  in  a  very  import 
ant  tone  asked  for  Stemples. 

"  Stemple  sout !  Hellow,  Josh.,  that  you  ?  "  said  Rivers, 
slapping  him  on  the  shoulder.  "  I've  taken  a  leetle  too 
much  bitters  to-day,  but  I'm  bound  to  have  another  horn 
before  I  go  home.  Come  and  have  something  ?  " 

"  Where  is  Stemples  ?  "  reiterated  Cox. 

"  Oh,  he's  up  stairs.     Come  and  have  a  drink  ?  " 

Josh,  willingly  assented,  and  with  Barclay  and  Horton 
they  went  up  to  the  bar.  Rivers  seized  the  whisky-bottle 
as  the  barkeeper  handed  it  down,  and  filled  his  glass  to 
the  brim.  Josh.,  Horton,  and  Barclay  took  moderate 
quantities  of  the  liquor.  "  Drink  hearty,  boys,"  said  Riv 
ers,  "  I  am  going  to  have  a  good  horn  to  go  to  bed  on.'' 

Josh,  looked  closely  at  him,  and  then  turned  and  winked 
knowingly  to  Barclay  and  Horton.  The  moment  he  turned, 
Rivers  changed  glasses  with  him,  emptied  out  nearly  all 
the  liquor  that  Cox  had  put  into  his  glass,  and  filled  it 
with  water. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   169 

"  Here,  boys,  drink  hearty  !  Ain't  you  going  to  drink 
up  ?  " 

Thus  admonished,  all  four  raised  their  glasses  and 
drained  them  at  a  draft.  Josh,  swallowed  down  the  brim 
ming  glass  of  pure  whisky  without  a  wink,  and  it  must 
be  admitted  that,  to  his  credit  as  a  toper,  he  never  noticed 
the  difference.  They  had  two  or  three  drinks  on  about 
the  same  basis  before  Stemples  came  down. 

Josh,  was  standing  with  the  letter  in  his  hand  ready  to 
give  it  to  him  when  he  came  in.  When  Stemples  came 
in  Rivers  snatched  the  letter  from  Josh's  hand  and  said : 

"  Here,  Stemples,  is  a  letter  for  you  !  "  and  handed  it 
to  him. 

Cox  was  in  a  condition  not  to  mind  trifles,  and  scarcely 
knew  whether  he  did  or  did  not  give  the  letter  to  Stemples. 
So  long  as  he  had  it,  that  was  all  he  wanted. 

Rivers,  quick  as  a  flash,  had  read  the  direction  on  the 
letter :  "  Nathan  Maroney,  Eldridge  Street  Jail.  New 
York." 

Stemples  took  the  letter  and  placed  it  carelessly  in  a 
pigeon-hole,  behind  a  small,  railed-off  place  just  at  the 
end  of  the  bar.  Josh,  started  home  with  Barclay  and  Hor- 
ton.  Rivers  accompanied  them  a  short  distance  and  then 
returned  to  Stemples's.  He  looked  through  the  windows 
and  saw  that  the  bar-room  was  completely  deserted.  He 
peered  around  and  found  that  both  Stemples  and  the  bar 
keeper  were  in  the  stable  harnessing  up  the  horses,  bent 
on  going  to  a  ball  at  a  neighboring  town.  He  glanced 
around  in  all  directions  until  he  was  sure  there  was  no 
fear  of  detection,  and  then  stealthily  entered  the  bar 
room.  He  noiselessly  crossed  the  floor,  went  behind  the 


170  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

railing,  pulled  the  much  desired  letter  from  the  pigeon 
hole  and,  with  his  treasure,  returned  safely  to  the  street 
without  detection. 

He  returned  to  his  boarding-house,  procured  a  lamp 
and  went  directly  to  his  room.  He  then  dexterously 
opened  the  letter  in  such  a  manner  that  no  trace  was  left 
to  show  that  it  had  been  tampered  with,  and  tremblingly 
proceeded  to  read  it,  filled  with  the  hope  that  the  mys 
tery  would  be  solved  by  its  contents.  He  read  as  follows : 

"Mv  DEAR  HUSBAND: — I  know  it  will  pain  you  to 
learn  that  a  notice  of  our  marriage  has  been  published  in 
Montgomery.  It  has  caused  a  great  many  of  our  old 
friends  to  turn  away  from  us,  among  others  Mrs.  May, 
who  was  the  first  one  to  inform  me,  and  who  grossly 
insulted  me  and  fairly  ordered  me  out  of  her  house. 
Who  could  have  spread  the  news  ?  I  think  the  only  true 
friend  you  now  have  in  Montgomery  is  Mr.  Porter.  Pat 
terson  swindled  me  in  the  bargain  for  the  livery  stable, 
and  Charlie  May  is,  you  know,  as  variable  as  the  weather 
in  the  North ;  but  Mr.  Porter  did  me  many  kind  turns 
without  seeking  to  make  anything  out  of  me.  Flora  and 
I  arrived  in  Jenkintown  this  afternoon  thoroughly  tired 
out.  I  could  not  get  the  requisition.  I  will  write  fully 
to-morrow  or  the  next  day. 

"  I  have  all  safe  in  the  trunk.     Left  —      —  at  hotel  in 
Athens.      I   afterward   found   it  convenient   to  alter  my 
bustle  and  put  paper  into  it  and  strips  of  old  rags.     It 
set  well,  but  I  was  tired  when  I  got  home  with  it. 
"Your  loving  wife." 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    171 

Rivers  scribbled  off  a  copy  of  the  letter  and  then  sealed 
it  up  again.  He  walked  back  to  Stemples's  and  found  a 
party  in  the  wagon  waiting  for  the  bar-keeper  to  close  up 
and  go  to  the  ball  with  them.  Rivers,  still  pretending  to 
be  drunk,  staggered  up  to  the  door  of  the  bar-room, 
which  was  just  about  to  be  closed,  and  walked  in.  There 
was  no  one  present  but  the  barkeeper;  the  people  in  the 
wagon  were  yelling  to  him  to  hurry  up. 

"  Give  me  a  drink,"  said  Rivers. 

"  You  have  had  enough  for  one  night,  it  seems  to  me," 
remarked  the  barkeeper. 

"  No,"  said  Rivers,  "just  give  me  one  drink  and  I'll 
go!" 

As  the  barkeeper  turned  to  take  down  the  bottle,  Rivers 
flipped  the  letter,  which  he  had  in  his  hand,  over  towards 
the  pigeon-hole;  it  just  missed  its  mark  and  fell  en  the 
floor. 

"  What's  that  ?  "  exclaimed  the  barkeeper,  turning  hastily 
around,  "  a  rat  ?  " 

"  No,  a  mouse,  I  guess  !  "  said  Rivers. 

"  I  declare,  if  that  mouse  didn't  knock  a  letter  out  of 
the  pigeon-hole  !  "  remarked  the  barkeeper  as  he  picked 
it  up  and  put  it  in  its  place.  "  Hurry  up,  Rivers,  I  want 
to  go !  " 

Rivers  swallowed  his  drink  and  went  off  well  pleased 
with  his  success. 

His  work  was  not  done  yet,  as  Madam  Imbert  had 
requested  him  to  keep  a  watch  on  Cox's  house.  He 
walked  along  in  the  direction  of  Cox's,  and  felt  almost 
oppressed  by  the  perfect  stillness  of  the  night.  It  was 
not  broken  even  by  the  barking  of  watch-dogs.  The 


172  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

whole  place  seemed  wrapped  in  slumber.  When  he 
reached  the  house,  he  walked  carefully  around  for  about 
an  hour,  when  a  light  in  the  second  story  —  the  only  one 
he  had  seen  —  was  extinguished.  He  then  crawled  up 
close  to  the  house,  where  he  could  hear  every  movement 
within;  but  all  he  heard  was  the  shrill  voice  of  Mrs.  Cox, 
occasionally  relieved  by  snorts  from  Cox,  and  he  con 
cluded  that  all  that  was  transpiring  at  Cox's  was  a  severe 
curtain  lecture,  brought  about  through  his  instrumentality. 
At  two  A.  M.  he  returned  to  his  boarding-house,  wrote  out 
his  report  for  Bangs,  enclosing  the  copy  of  Mrs.  Ma- 
roney's  letter,  and  retired  after  an  exciting  day's  work. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

ON  the  following  day  Mrs.  Maroney  called  on  Madam 
Imbert,  and    together   they  strolled    through    the 
pleasure  grounds.     Each  narrated  her  sorrows,  and  each 
wanted  the  support  and  friendship  of  the  other. 

Madam  Imbert's  story  we  will  let  pass.  Mrs.  Maroney 
dwelt  on  her  husband's  hardships,  and  her  conversation 
was  largely  a  repetition  of  what  she  had  said  the  day 
before.  She  spoke  of  her  husband  as  a  persecuted  man, 
and  said  :  "  Wait  till  his  trial  is  over  and  he  is  vindi 
cated  !  Then  the  Adams  Express  will  pay  for  this.  The 
Vice-President  has  made  the  affair  almost  a  personal  one, 
but  when  Nat.  is  liberated  the  Vice-President  will  get  his 
deserts.  When  he  falls,  mortally  wounded  with  a  ball 
from  my  husband's  pistol,  he  will  discover  that  Nathan 
Maroney  is  not  to  be  trifled  with.  In  the  South  we  have 
a  few  friends  left,  and  Mr.  McGibony,  a  detective,  is  one 
of  them.  I  think  I  can  trust  him.  He  was  to  have  come 
North  to  escort  my  husband  to  Montgomery,  if  the  Gov 
ernor  had  granted  the  requisition ;  but  he  would  not,  and 
Maroney  will  hear  of  my  failure  to-day,  as  I  wrote  to  him 
last  evening.  De  Forest  is  a  useful  friend,  and  I  think 
him  also  a  very  handsome  man.  I  left  Montgomery, 
fueling  very  unhappy,  and  was  obliged  to  go  to  Athens 
and  Danielsville.  I  was  so  exhausted  that  I  had  to  stop 
a  day  at  Augusta  to  rest.  I  had  some  valuables  concealed 


174  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

on  my  person,  and  they  were  so  heavy  as  to  greatly  tire 
me.  At  Augusta  I  was  forced  to  alter  my  arrangements 
for  carrying  them,  and  arrived  in  Philadelphia  completely 
worn  out.  I  can  assure  you  it  was  with  feelings  of  the 
greatest  pleasure  that  I  met  De  Forest.  He  very  kindly 
took  charge  of  my  baggage,  and  brought  Flora  and  me 
out  in  his  buggy.  I  am  so  glad  to  be  here  once  more." 

As  both  ladies  were  tired,  they  walked  over  to  some 
benches  placed  in  a  summer  house,  and  took  seats.  Miss 
Johnson  and  Flora  had  been  with  them,  but  strolled  off. 

Mrs.  Maroney  kept  up  the  conversation,  on  unimpor 
tant  topics,  for  some  time,  and  then  suddenly  turned  to 
Madam  Imbert  and  said  :  "  You  must  have  had  to  con 
ceal  property  at  times  !  Where  did  you  hide  it?" 

Madam  Imbert  felt  that  now  the  trying  moment  for  her 
had  arrived.  She  knew  that  Mrs.  Maroney  had  the  stolen 
money  in  her  possession,  and  that  if  she  could  only  pre 
vail  on  her  to  again  conceal  the  money  on  her  person,  she 
could  seize  and  search  her;  but  Mrs.  Maroney  had  said 
she  could  not  carry  it  around,  and  so  was  obliged  to 
change  its  hiding  place.  If  she  endeavored  to  prevail  on 
her  to  secrete  it  on  her  person,  she  might  suspect  her 
motives,  and  hide  it  where  it  would  be  hard  to  find,  so 
she  answered  in  an  indifferent  tone  ;  "  Oh,  yes,  I  have 
often  hidden  valuables  !  Sometimes  I  have  placed  them 
in  the  cellar,  and  at  other  times,  waiting  until  all  was 
quiet,  I  have  stolen  out  into  the  garden,  at  a  late  hour  of 
the  night,  and  secreted  them." 

Mrs.  Maroney  looked  her  square  in  the  eyes,  but  she 
did  not  alter  a  muscle  under  the  scrutiny.  "  Your  advice 
is  good,"  she  said,  in  a  musing  tone. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    175 

Madam  Imbert  would  gladly  have  offered  to  assist  her, 
but  did  not,  at  the  time,  feel  safe  in  offering  her  services. 
She  determined  to  act  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  to  try 
and  discover  where  she  would  secrete  the  money,  as, 
from  her  actions,  it  was  evident  it  was  not  yet  hidden. 

As  they  sat  talking  Madam  Imbert  pretended  to  be 
taken  with  a  sudden  pain  in  the  neighborhood  of  her 
heart.  She  was  so  sick  that  Mrs.  Maroney  had  to  assist 
her  to  Stemples's.  She  explained  to  Mrs.  Maroney  that 
she  was  subject  to  heart  disease,  and  was  frequently  taken 
in  a  like  manner.  When  they  got  to  the  tavern  she 
requested  Mrs.  Maroney  to  send  Miss  Johnson  to  her, 
which  she  did,  and  then  walked  slowly  homeward. 

In  about  three-quarters  of  an  hour  Miss  Johnson  called 
at  Cox's,  and  reported  that  the  Madam  was  much  better, 
and  was  sleeping  soundly.  She  had  become  lonely,  and 
had  started  out  to  get  Flora  and  take  a  walk.  As  soon  as 
she  entered  the  sitting  room  at  Cox's,  on  her  return,  she 
found  no  one  there  but  the  children.  In  a  moment  Mrs. 
Cox  came  up  stairs  and  joined  her.  She  looked  quite 
flurried,  and  seemed  not  to  be  particularly  pleased  at 
Miss  Johnson's  presence. 

Miss  Johnson  had  just  made  known  her  desire  for 
Flora's  company,  when  Rivers  (whom  Madam  Imbert  had 
seen  and  instructed  to  find  out  what  Josh,  was  doing,) 
came  in,  in  his  usual  rollicking  way,  and  asked  Mrs.  Cox 
where  Josh.  was. 

"  He  is  out  in  the  garden  at  work,"  said  Mrs.  Cox. 

At  almost  the  same  moment  Josh,  yelled  up  from  the 
cellar:  "That  you,  Rivers?  I'll  join  you  at  Stemples's, 
by-and-by." 


176          PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

It  was  immediately  plain  to  Miss  Johnson  and  Rivers 
that  something  was  going  on  in  the  cellar  which  they  did 
not  want  outsiders  to  know  about.  Miss  Johnson 
remained  with  the  children  about  half  an  hour,  when 
Josh,  and  Mrs.  Maroney  came  up  from  the  cellar,  per 
spiring  freely,  and  looking  as  though  they  had  been  hard 
at  work.  Josh,  started  out  to  keep  his  appointment,  evi 
dently  longing  for  a  drink,  and  Miss  Johnson,  after  a 
short  conversation  with  Mrs.  Maroney,  went  out  with 
Flora.  She  did  not  remain  long  away,  soon  bringing 
Flora  homt,  and  then  proceeding  to  the  hotel  to  report  to 
Madam  Imbert.  Rivers  had  already  reported,  and 
Madam  Imbert  was  confident  they  were  secreting  the 
money  in  the  cellar,  so  she  determined  to  report  to  Bangs 
at  once. 

In  the  afternoon  she  had  so  far  recovered  as  to  be  able 
to  go  to  Philadelphia  to  consult  her  physician.  At  least 
she  so  informed  Mrs.  Maroney.  Before  going  she  walked 
over  to  see  if  Mrs.  Maroney  would  not  accompany  her, 
but  found  her  tired  and  weary,  and  in  no  humor  for  a 
ride.  She  therefore  returned  to  Stemples's,  hired  his  team 
and  drove  into  the  city  alone.  She  reported  to  Bangs, 
and  got  back  in  time  for  supper.  In  the  evening  she 
called  on  Mrs.  Maroney  and  had  with  her  a  long  conver 
sation. 

What,  with  Rivers  and  De  Forest,  and  Madam  Imbert 
and  Miss  Johnson,  very  little  happened  at  Cox's  that  was 
not  seen  and  reported  to  Bangs. 

Mrs.  Maroney  called  the  property  she  wished  to  con 
ceal  her  own,  but  we  concluded  that  it  was  the  stolen 
money.  For  four  days  all  went  quietly  in  Jenkinrown  ; 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    177 

Mrs.  Maroney  made  no  allusions  to  her  property,  and 
passed  the  greater  portion  of  the  day  either  with  Madam 
Imbert  or  with  De  Forest. 

On  the  fifth  day  she  received  a  letter  from  her  husband 
requesting  her  to  come  to  New  York,  and  to  bring  a  good 
Philadelphia  lawyer  with  her.  She  made  known  to 
Madam  Imbert,  and  De  Forest,  the  contents  of  the  letter. 
De  Forest  found  that  he  wanted  to  go  to  the  city  in  the 
morning,  and  made  arrangements  to  accompany  her  with 
his  buggy.  At  her  earnest  request  Madam  Imbert 
accompanied  them.  They  drove  to  Mitchell's,  had  some 
refreshments,  and  then  separated. 

Green,  of  course,  was  at  Mitchell's  when  they  arrived, 
prepared  to  follow  Mrs.  Maroney.  Madam  Imbert  went 
to  the  Merchants's  Hotel  and  reported  to  Bangs,  while 
De  Forest  reported  to  the  Vice-President.  Here  were 
two  persons  acting  in  the  same  cause,  and  yet  De  For 
est  was  profoundly  ignorant  of  Madam  Imbert's  true 
character. 

Mrs.  Maroney  proceeded  to  a  lawyer's  office  in  Walnut 
street.  Green  saw  the  name  on  the  door,  and  knew  that 
it  was  the  office  of  a  prominent  advocate.  I  will  not  men 
tion  his  name,  as  it  is  immaterial.  She  remained  in  the 
office  for  over  an  hour,  and  then  returned  to  Mitchell's, 
where  the  party  had  agreed  to  rendezvous.  After  dinner 
they  drove  back  to  Jenkintown.  ,  • 

The  following  morning  the  rain  poured  in  torrents,  but 
Mrs.  Maroney  took  the  early  train  and  went  to  the  city, 
"  shadowed  "  by  Rivers.  At  Philadelphia  he  turned  her 
over  to  the  watchful  care  of  Green.  In  Camden  she  was 


178  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

joined  by  her  lawyer,  and  on  arriving  in  New  York  went 
directly  with  him  to  the  Eldridge  street  jail. 

All  had  gone  well  with  White  and  Maroney.  They  had 
grown  a  little  more  friendly,  though  White  was  very  unso 
cial,  and  seemed  to  prefer  to  keep  by  himself.  Maroney 
had  got  Shanks  to  do  several  favors  for  him,  and  was  very 
thankful  for  his  kindness.  Shanks  was  busily  employed 
in  carrying  letters  to  White's  lawyers,  and  bringing 
answers.  The  reader  has  already  been  informed  with 
regard  to  the  character  of  those  communications. 

White  and  Maroney  were  engaged  in  a  social  game  of 
euchre  when  Mrs.  Maroney  and  her  lawyer  arrived. 
Maroney  did  not  have  a  very  great  regard  for  his  wife, 
but  any  one,  at  such  a  time,  would  be  welcome.  He 
greeted  her  warmly,  shook  hands  with  the  lawyer,  and 
requested  him  to  be  seated  while  he  held  a  private  con 
versation  with  his  wife.  He  drew  her  to  one  side,  and 
they  had  a  long,  quiet  conversation.  In  about  an  hour 
he  called  his  lawyer  over,  and  they  consulted  together  for 
over  two  hours. 

White  was  miserably  situated.  He  could  see  all  that 
went  on,  even  to  the  movement  of  their  lips  as  they  con 
versed,  but  could  not  hear  a  word. 

As  soon  as  the  interview  was  over  Mrs.  Maroney  left 
the  jail  —  the  lawyer  remaining  behind  —  went  to  Jersey 
City,  and  took  the  train  to  Philadelphia. 

Green  telegraphed  Bangs  that  she  was  returning,  and 
he  had  Rivers  at  Camden  to  meet  the  train  and  relieve 
Green. 

She  arrived  in  Philadelphia  too  late  for  the  Jenkintown 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.     179 

train,  but  hired  a  buggy  at  a  livery  stable,  and  had  a  boy 
drive  her  out  and  bring  the  horse  back. 

Rivers  was  looking  around  for  a  conveyance,  when  a 
gardener  whom  he  knew,  and  who  lived  a  few  miles 
beyond  Jenkintown,  drove  along.  "  Going  out  to  Jenkin- 
town  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  gardener. 

"  Give  me  a  ride  ?  " 

"  Of  course;  jump  in."  And  he  was  soon  being  rattled 
over  the  pavement  in  the  springless  lumber-wagon.  He 
tried  to  keep  up  a  conversation,  but  the  words  were  all 
jostled  out  of  his  mouth. 

The  weather  had  cleared  up,  and  he  had  a  delightful 
drive  out  to  Jenkintown.  He  stopped  the  gardener  twice 
on  the  road  and  treated  him  to  whisky  and  cigars,  and 
they  arrived  shortly  after  Mrs.  Maroney.  "There  must 
be  something  up,"  thought  he,  "  or  she  would  not  be  in 
such  a  hurry  to  get  home  ;  what  can  it  be  ?  " 

In  Eldridge  street  jail,  one  day  was  nearly  a  repetition 
of  another.  White  acted  always  the  same,  and  said  very 
little  to  any  one  except  to  Shanks,  whom  he  always  drew 
to  one  side  when  he  wished  to  converse  with  him. 

Maroney  conversed  with  White  a  good  deal,  and  was 
disappointed  on  finding  that  he  could  not  play  chess. 
White  would  occasionally  join  in  a  game  of  cards,  but 
kept  separate  from  the  rest  of  the  prisoners  as  much  as 
possible.  He  had  paid  his  footing,  five  dollars,  the  fee 
required  to  gain  admission  to  "  the  order"  as  the  prisoners 
call  it.  He  found  the  "order  "  to  be  narrowed  down  to 
drinkables  and  smokables  for  all  the  prisoners  initiated. 
Maroney  had  joined  before,  and  said  to  White,  "I  don't 


180          PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

think  much  of  it.  These  people  care  for  nothing  but 
drinking  and  eating,  while  I  have  something  else  to  think 
about." 

By  degrees  Maroney  conversed  more  and  more  with 
White ;  sometimes  he  would  forget  and  talk  loudly. 
White  would  look  up  and  say,  "  Hush  !  walls  have  ears 
sometimes,  don't  talk  so  loud."  At  other  times  he  would 
say,  "  Maroney,  I  am  not  a  talking  man ;  I  keep  my  own 
counsel,  and  have  discovered  that  the  worst  thing  a  man 
can  do  is  to  be  noisy."  Maroney  would  try  and  mollify 
him  by  saying,  "  Oh,  pshaw  !  I  didn't  say  any  thing  in 
particular." 

"  You  can't  tell  who  the  spies  are  here,"  White  would 
reply,  "do  you  see  those  prisoners?  well,  how  do  you 
know  but  that  some  of  them  are  spies  ?  I  would  not  trust 
one  of  them.  I  have  a  big  fight  under  way  myself;  I 
know  the  men  who  are  opposing  me  will  take  every 
advantage,  and  I  propose  to  keep  quiet  and  wait." 

Maroney  would  remark,  "  But  no  one  heard  ?" 

"Hush,"  White  would  whisper,  "how  many  times  must 
I  tell  you  that  walls  may  have  ears  ?" 

In  time  he  had  Maroney  afraid  almost  of  his  own 
shadow. 

When  White  wanted  to  tell  Shanks  any  thing,  he  would 
take  him  by  the  arm  and  draw  him  to  one  side  ;  his  lips 
would  be  seen  to  move,  but  not  a  word  could  be  heard. 

One  morning  Maroney  said,  "  White,  I  would  like  to 
have  a  boy  like  yours  to  attend  to  my  business  ;  he  is  a 
good  boy,  never  talks  loud,  and  I  could  make  him  useful 
in  many  ways." 

"Yes,"  replied  White,   dryly,   "  Shanks  is  a  good  boy, 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.    181 

and  minds  what  I  say.  Suppose  they  should  bring  him 
on  the  stand  to  prove  I  said  a  certain  thing,  Shanks  would 
be  a  bad  witness,  because  he  never  hears  any  thing  I  don't 
want  him  to." 

"  I  see  he  is  shrewd,  and  I  like  him  for  that,"  said 
Maroney. 

The  days  passed  slowly  away,  White  always  attending 
to  his  own  business,  which  seemed  very  important.  One 
day  Maroney  said  to  White,  "I'm  tired,  let's  take  a  turn 
in  the  hall?"  They  made  several  trips,  conversing  on 
general  topics,  when  Maroney  lowered  his  voice  and  said : 

"  White,  couldn't  you  and  I  get  out  of  this  jail?" 

"  I  have  not  thought  of  it,  have  you  ?" 

"Yes,"  answered  Maroney,  eagerly;  "all  we  need  is 
two  keys.  If  we  were  to  get  an  impression  of  the  lock 
Shanks  could  have  them  made,  couldn't  he  ?" 

"Yes,"  replied  White,  "  you  can  get  almost  any  thing 
made  in  New  York  if  you  have  the  money  with  which  to 
pay  for  it.  But  if  we  made  the  attempt  and  failed,  what 
would  be  the  consequences?  We  should  be  put  down 
and  not  allowed  out  of  our  cells,  and  I  should  be  debarred 
from  seeing  Shanks ;  so  suppose  we  think  it  over,  and 
watch  the  habits  of  the  jailors." 

Every  day  Maroney  broached  the  subject,  but  White 
always  had  some  objections  to  offer,  and  Maroney  finally 
abandoned  the  project  in  disgust.  There  is  no  doubt  but 
that  Eldridge  street  jail  at  the  time  could  have  been 
easily  opened. 

Little  by  little  Maroney  sought  to  place  more  confidence 
in  White,  but  found  his  advances  always  repelled.  White 
would  say,  "  Maroney,  let  every  man  keep  his  own  secrets, 


182  PINKERTOWS  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

I  have  all  I  can  do  to  attend  to  my  own  affairs.  My 
lawyer  has  been  to  see  me  and  my  prospects,  as  he  pre 
sents  them,  are  not  very  flattering.  Shanks  says  they  are 
likely  to  get  the  better  of  me  if  I  am  not  careful.  I  feel 
so  irritable  that  I  can  scarcely  bear  with  any  one." 
Maroney  was  more  than  ever  desirous  of  talking  with 
him,  but  White  said :  "  I  don't  want  to  talk ;  let  every 
man  paddle  his  own  canoe.  If  I  were  out  of  trouble,  it 
would  be  a  different  thing,  but  my  lawyer  at  present  gives 
me  a  black  lookout." 

Shanks  came  in  and  White  drew  him  to  one  side. 
They  had  a  long  talk  and  then  White  paced  restlessly  up 
and  down  the  hall. 

"What's  the  matter,  White?  have  you  bad  news?" 
enquired  Maroney. 

"  Yes,  I  am  deeply  in  the  mire,  but  let  me  alone  and 
I'll  wriggle  myself  out." 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

I  NOW  determined  to  strike  a  blow  at  Maroney.  Some 
idea  of  its  power  may  be  gained  by  imagining  how  a 
prisoner  would  feel  upon  receiving  the  news  that,  while 
he  is  languishing  in  prison,  his  faithless  wife  is  receiving 
the  unlawful  attentions  of  a  young  gallant,  and  that  every 
thing  indicates  that  they  are  about  to  leave  for  parts 
unknown,  intending  to  take  all  his  money  and  leave  him 
in  the  lurch.  This  was  exactly  the  rod  I  had  in  pickle 
for  Maroney.  I  applied  it  through  the  following  letter : 

"  Nathan  Maroney,  Eldridge  Street  Jail,  New  York  : 

"  Ha  !  ha !  ha  !  *  *  *  *  Your  wife  and  the  fellow 
with  the  long  mustache  and  whiskers  are  having  a  glori 
ous  time,  driving  around  in  his  buggy. 

"  You  have  heard  of  Sanford  ?  He  loves  you  well.  He 
is  the  one  who  moves  the  automaton  with  the  whiskers 
and  long  mustache,  and  gives  your  wife  a  lover  in  Jenkin- 
town. 

"  You  should  feel  happy,  and  so  do  1.  The  garden  at 
night;  honeyed  words;  the  parting  kiss!  She  loves  him 
well !  I  know  you  are  happy  ! 

"Good-bye!     *     *     *     *  REVENGE!" 

Having  written   the   document,  I  had  it  mailed    from 
Jenkintown,  through  the  assistance  of  friend  Rivers. 
At  Jenkintown  all  was  going  smoothly.     De  Forest  was 


184  PINKER  TON ' S  DE  TECTI VE  STORIES. 

more  loving  than  ever,  and  Madam  Imbert  found  it 
almost  impossible  to  have  a  private  conversation  with 
Mrs.  Maroney,  as  she  seemed  always  with  him.  When 
De  Forest  came  to  Philadelphia  I  had  it  suggested  to  him 
that  it  would  be  advisable  to  get  Mrs.  Maroney  to  walk 
or  drive  out  with  him  in  the  evening.  He  immediately 
acted  on  the  suggestion,  and  before  long  could  be  found 
almost  every  evening  with  her. 

Mrs.  Maroney  did  not  again  allude  to  her  valuables, 
and  evidently  felt  perfectly  easy  in  regard  to  them,  con 
sidering  that  she  had  them  safely  secreted.  One  day, 
while  Mrs.  Maroney  was  in  the  cellar,  Madam  Imbert 
called.  Mrs.  Cox  met  her  and  said  : 

"Sister  is  in  the  cellar;   I  will  call  her  up." 

"Never  mind,"  remarked  the  Madam,  "I'll  just  run 
down  to  her,"  and  stepped  towards  the  cellar  door. 

Mrs.  Cox  quickly  interposed  and  said  : 

"Oh!  no;   I  will  call  her!  " 

This  little  incident  showed  Madam  Imbert  that  some 
thing  was  going  on  which  they  did  not  want  her  to  know. 

Mrs.  Maroney  soon  came  up,  said  she  was  delighted  to 
see  her,  and  did  not  look  at  all  confused. 

Rivers,  Cox,  Horton  and  Barclay  had  formed  them 
selves  into  a  quartette  club  and  were  nearly  always 
together. 

Rivers's  arm  had  not  healed  as  yet,  and  he  still  wore  it 
in  a  sling.  Cox  and  he  were  on  the  best  of  terms,  and 
the  Jenkintowners  regarded  him,  as  well  as  the  other 
detectives,  as  permanent  residents. 

De  Forest  was  happy  beyond  expression,  and  Mrs. 
Maroney  seemed  equally  so.  She  wrote  letters  daily  to 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   185 

her  husband  and  often  spoke  of  Madam  Imbert  and  how 
deeply  she  felt  for  her,  bowed  down  with  care  and  alone 
in  the  world.  She  very  seldom  alluded  to  De  Forest  and 
never  spoke  of  his  being  her  constant  companion. 

While  all  was  passing  so  pleasantly  in  Jenkintown,  a 
terrible  scene  was  being  enacted  in  Eldridge  street  jail. 
I  had  not  posted  White  as  to  my  intention  of  sending  the 
anonymous  letter  to  Maroney,  as  I  wished  to  find  what 
effect  Maroney's  conduct  would  have  on  him.  The  day 
after  Rivers  had  posted  the  letter,  Shanks  brought  it  to 
Maroney  when  he  came  with  the  morning's  mail.  Besides 
my  letter  there  was  also  one  from  Mrs.  Maroney.  Ma 
roney  looked  at  the  letters  and  opened  the  one  from  his 
wife  first.  He  read  it,  a  pleased  smile  passing  over  his 
face,  and  then  laid  it  down  and  picked  up  my  letter.  He 
scanned  the  envelope  carefully  and  then  broke  the  seal. 
White  was  watching  him  and  wondered  why  he  examined 
the  letter  so  closely.  As  he  read,  White  was  astonished 
to  see  a  look  of  deep  anguish  settle  on  his  face.  He 
seemed  to  be  sinking  from  some  terrible  blow.  He  recov 
ered  himself,  read  the  letter  over  and  over  again,  then 
crushed  it  in  his  hand  and  threw  it  on  the  floor. 

He  sprang  to  his  feet  and  walked  rapidly  up  and  down 
the  hall ;  but  returned  and  picked  up  the  letter  before  the 
wily  White  could  manage  to  secure  it.  White  wondered 
what  it  was  that  troubled  Maroney.  He  whispered  to 
Shanks : 

"What  the  d — 1  is  the  matter  with  Maroney?  He  has 
received  bad  news.  I  should  like,  in  some  way,  to  find 
out  what  it  is.  The  old  man  will  be  wondering  what  is 


186  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES, 

in  that  note,  and  when  I  report,  will  blame  me  for  not 
finding  out." 

Maroney  appeared  almost  crazed.  He  forced  the  letter 
into  his  pocket  and  went  into  his  cell  without  a  word ; 
but  his  face  was  a  terrible  index  of  what  was  passing  in 
his  mind. 

After  a  little,  White  and  Shanks  walked  by  his  cell  and 
saw  him  lying  on  the  bed,  with  his  face  hidden  in  the 
clothes.  He  did  not  come  out  for  over  an  hour;  but 
when  he  did,  he  seemed  perfectly  calm.  He  was  very  pale, 
and  it  was  astonishing  to  see  the  change  wrought  in  him 
in  so  short  a  time. 

White  met  him  as  he  came  out,  but  did  not  appear  to 
notice  any  difference  in  him. 

"Here,  Maroney,  have  a  cigar;  they  are  a  new  brand. 
Shanks  is  a  superior  judge  of  cigars.  I  think  these  are 
the  best  I  have  yet  had,  and  I  believe  I  will  get  a  box ;  I 
can  get  them  for  eleven  dollars,  and  they  are  as  good  as 
those  they  retail  at  twenty  cents  a  piece." 

Maroney  held  out  his  hand  mechanically  and  took  one. 
He  put  it  into  his  mouth,  and  without  lighting  it,  com 
menced  to  chew  it. 

White,  in  one  of  his  reports  to  me,  says  :  "  A  man  often 
shows  his  desperation  by  his  desire  to  get  more  nicotine 
than  usual."  Maroney  did  not  converse  with  White,  and 
only  said  he  wanted  to  write.  He  sat  down  and  wrote  a 
note,  but  immediately  tore  it  up.  He  wrote  and  tore  up 
several  in  this  way,  but  finally  wrote  one  to  suit  him. 
White  quietly  told  Shanks  that  when  Maroney  gave 
him  the  letter  he  was  writing,  he  must  be  sure  and  see 
its  contents.  Of  course  Shanks  always  obeyed  orders, 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.  187 

and  never  neglected  anything  his  uncle  told  him  to  do, 
even  if  it  was  to  forget  something  that  had  happened. 
In  this  way  he  was  extremely  useful.  It  was  getting  late, 
and  the  jailer  had  told  him  two  or  three  times  that  he 
must  go,  but  he  did  not  take  his  departure  until  Maroney 
had  sealed  the  letter  and  handed  it  to  him. 

Maroney  was  in  a  terrible  condition,  and  White  found 
that  it  would  be  impossible  to  get  anything  out  of  him 
that  night,  as  the  whole  affair  was  too  fresh  in  his  mind ; 
so  he  got  some  brandy  he  had  in  his  cell,  and  asked  him 
to  take  a  drink.  Maroney  eagerly  swallowed  a  brimming 
glassfull,  and  took  four  or  five  drinks  in  rapid  succession. 
He  seemed  to  suffer  terrible  anguish,  and  his  whole  frame 
trembled  like  a  leaf.  In  a  few  minutes  he  retired  to  his 
cell,  evidently  determined  to  seek  oblivion  in  sleep. 

We  will  now  follow  Shanks  to  his  hotel,  where  he  is 
engaged  in  opening  Maroney's  letter.  Although  the  letter 
was  very  securely  sealed,  he  accomplished  the  task  with 
out  much  difficulty,  and  read  as  follows  : 

"  MADAM  :  I  have  received  a  strange  letter.  What  does 
it  mean  ?  Are  you  playing  false  to  me?  Who  is  this  man 
you  have  with  you  ?  where  does  he  come  from  ?  Are  you 
such  a  fool  as  not  to  know  he  is  a  tool  of  the  Adams, 
and  that  you  are  acting  with  him  ?  I  cannot  be  with  you. 
If  I  had  my  liberty  I  would  hurry  to  your  side,  snatch 
you  from  this  villain,  and  plunge  my  knife  so  deep  into 
him  that  he  would  never  know  he  had  received  a  blow ! ! ! 
Why  are  you  so  foolish  ?  Do  you  love  me  ?  You  have 
often  said  you  did.  You  know  I  have  done  all  in  my 
power  to  make  you  happy,  and  have  placed  entire  conn- 


188          PIXKERTOX'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

dence  in  you.  Why  have  you  never  told  me  about  this 
man  ?  Listen  to  me,  and  love  me  as  before,  and  all  will 
go  well.  Tell  me  all,  'and  tell  me  it  is  not  so  bad  as  it  is 
told  to  me  !  '  Spurn  this  scoundrel,  and  have  confidence 
in  me  forever  !  !  !  "  NAT. 

Shanks  hurriedly  copied  this  letter,  and  mailed  it  after 
making  another  copy,  which  he  forwarded  to  me  at  the 
same  time.  In  the  morning  he  gave  White  a  copy  of  the 
letter,  which  revealed  to  him  the  cause  of  Maroney's 
anguish. 

Maroney  came  to  White  in  the  morning,  and  found  him 
moody,  and  not  inclined  to  talk.  Still  he  clung  to  him  as 
his  only  hope.  It  was  a  strange  fascination  which  White 
had  acquired  over  Maroney.  Maroney  appeared  to  feel 
better,  although  he  was  still  very  pale,  and  seemed  to  be 
comforted  by  White's  presence,  although  he  did  not  say  a 
word  about  his  trouble. 

We  will  now  make  a  trip  which  Maroney  would  like  to 
make,  and  return  to  Jenkintown. 

Maroney's  letter  arrived  by  the  five  P.  M.  mail,  at  Jen 
kintown,  the  day  following  the  one  on  which  Shanks 
mailed  it.  In  the  morning  Mrs.  Maroney  had  spent  some 
time  with  Madam  Imbert,  and  then  had  gone  for  a  drive 
with  De  Forest.  They  went  to  Manayunk,  had  a  fish 
dinner  washed  down  with  a  bottle  of  champagne,  and 
drove  back  as  happy  and  free  from  care  as  two  children. 
Mrs.  Maroney  left  the  buggy  at  Cox's  at  half-past  four, 
and  found  Madam  Imbert  waiting  for  her.  The  Madam 
noticed  that  she  was  a  little  exhilarated.  After  they  had 
conversed  for  some  time  she  asked  Mrs.  Maroney  out  for  a 
walk,  and  they  strolled  leisurely  down  to  the  station.  The 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    183 

train  from  Philadelphia  had  just  passed  through,  and 
Mrs.  Maroney  said  :  "  Let  us  walk  up  to  Stemples's  and 
see  if  any  letters  have  come  for  us." 

When  they  reached  Stemples's,  Mrs.  Maroney  went  in 
and  received  a  letter.  Madam  Imbert  was  not  so  for 
tunate.  "  Oh  !  "  laughed  Mrs.  Maroney,  "  I  have  seen  the 
time,  when  I  was  single,  that  I  would  receive  half  a  dozen 
letters  a  day ;  but  this  is  more  valuable  than  them  all,  as 
it  is  from  my  husband.  Heigh  ho  !  I  wonder  what  my 
darling  Nat.  has  to  say."  At  the  same  time  she  broke  the 
seal,  and  then  proceeded  to  read  the  letter. 

Madam  Imbert  walked  a  little  way  behind  her,  as  was 
her  habic.  She  was  a  very  tall,  commanding  woman,  and 
made  this  her  habit  so  that  she  could  glance  at  anything 
that  Mrs.  Maroney  might  read  as  they  walked  along.  It 
was  a  part  of  her  business,  and  so  she  was  not  to  be 
blamed  for  it.  Mrs.  Maroney  flushed  at  the  first  word 
she  read,  but  as  she  went  on  her  color  heightened,  until 
she  was  red  as  a  coal  of  fire.  "Why,"  she  muttered, 
"  Nat.,  you're  a  d — d  fool !  "  When  angered  she  always 
used  language  she  had  acquired  in  her  former  life. 

Madam  Imbert  heard  her,  and  was  anxious  to  see  the 
contents  of  the  letter,  but  could  only  catch  a  word  here 
and  there  as  she  looked  over  Mrs.  Maroney 's  shoulder. 

Mrs.  Maroney  glanced  over  the  letter  hurriedly,  and 
then  read  it  again.  She  muttered  to  herself,  and  the 
Madam  hoped  she  was  going  to  tell  her  what  it  was  that 
caused  her  hard  words ;  but  she  did  not,  and  soon  folded 
the  letter  up  and  put  it  away.  As  they  neared  Cox's  she 
said  :  "  Please  excuse  me ;  I  feel  unwell,  and  fear  I  have 
been  too  much  in  the  sun  to-day." 


190  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

At  this  moment  De  Forest  walked  out  of  Josh's. 
"Mrs.  Maroney,"  said  he,  "will  you  come  to  the  garden 
this  evening?  " 

Madam  Imbert  turned  to  leave. 

Mrs.  Maroney  looked  him  full  in  the  face  with  flashing 
eyes,  clenched  her  little  hand,  and  in  a  voice  hoarse  from 
passion,  exclaimed :  "  What  do  you  want  here,  you 
scoundrel  ?  " 

If  a  thunderbolt  had  fallen  at  his  feet,  De  Forest  could 
not  have  been  more  astonished ;  he  was  struck  speech 
less  ;  his  powers  of  articulation  were  gone.  She  said  not 
one  word  more,  but  stalked  into  the  house  and  closed  the 
door  with  a  bang  that  made  him  jump. 

Madam  Imbert  wended  her  way  to  the  tavern,  but  De 
Forest  stood  for  fully  two  minutes,  seemingly  deprived  of 
the  power  of  motion.  He  then  darted  eagerly  toward 
the  door,  determined  to  have  an  explanation,  but  was  met 
by  Josh.,  who  said  :  "  You  have  done  something  that  has 
raised  the  d — 1  in  Mrs.  Maroney,  and  she  will  play  the 
deuce  with  you  if  you  don't  clear  out.  If  you  try  to 
speak  to  her,  she  will  pistol  you,  sure !  " 

"  But  what  have  I  done  ?  "  asked  De  Forest.  "  It  is 
only  an  hour  since  I  left  her,  and  we  were  then  on  the 
best  of  terms.  I  have  always  treated  her  well  !  " 

"Come,  come  !  "  said  Josh.,  "don't  stand  talking  here. 
People  will  see  we  are  having  a  fuss."  And  he  took  De 
Forest  by  the  arm  and  led  him  toward  Stemples's. 

Madam  Imbert  had  met  Rivers  on  her  way,  and  sent 
him  to  find  out  how  affairs  were  progressing.  He  arrived 
at  this  moment.  "  Hello,"  said  he  to  Josh.,  "  I  was  just 
coming  to  see  you." 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.     191 

"Yes!  You  have  come  at  the  wrong  time.  Mrs.  Ma- 
roney  is  as  mad  as  blazes,  and  would  have  shot  De  Forest 
if  it  had  not  been  for  me.  I  can't  tell  what  for,  but,  by 
the  Eternal,  she  would  have  done  it !  " 

De  Forest  was  all  in  a  maze.  He  could  not  imagine 
what  he  had  done  to  cause  the  woman  he  loved  to  become 
so  excited  as  to  desire  to  kill  him. 

They  all  three  went  to  the  hotel,  and  De  Forest,  although 
generally  not  a  drinking  man,  called  them  all  up  and 
treated.  The  fun  of  the  whole  thing  was  that  De  Forest 
had  not  the  slightest  idea  what  it  was  that  had  caused  the 
trouble.  Only  an  hour  before  she  was  by  his  side  in  the 
buggy,  and  they  were  so  happy  and  so  loving  !  She  had 
been  cooing  like  a  turtle  dove,  and  now,  "  Oh,  wondrous 
change,"  she  wished  to  shoot  him.  He  could  not  remem 
ber  having  uttered  a  single  word  that  would  wound  the 
most  sensitive  nature. 

After  tea,  Madam  Imbert  walked  down  to  Cox's,  first 
seeing  Rivers  and  directing  him  to  keep  a  close  guard  on 
the  house  that  night,  and  especially  to  watch  the  cellar- 
window,  so  as  to  know  if  anything  took  place  in  the  cel 
lar.  On  arriving  at  Cox's  she  was  shown  into  Mrs.  Ma- 
roney's  room.  Mrs.  Maroney  was  in  bed,  but  did  not 
have  her  clothes  off.  She  had  not  been  crying,  but  fairly 
quivered  with  suppressed  excitement.  She  rose  and 
closed  the  door,  and  then  burst  out  with,  "  Why,  Madam 
Imbert,  have  you  ever  heard  of  so  foolish  a  man  as  my 
husband?  Who  knows  where  De  Forest  comes  from? 
Do  you  ?  " 

"  No,"  answered  the  Madam  ;  "  he  was  here  when  I 
came.  Don't  you  know  ?  " 


192  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

"  No.  All  I  know  is  that  I  became  acquainted  with 
him  here,  when  I  first  came,  and  I  found  him  so  service 
able  that  I  kept  up  the  acquaintance;  But,"  she  broke 
out  in  a  wild,  excited  manner,  "  D — n  him  !  I'll  put  a  ball 
through  him  if  he  dares  to  injure  me." 

"  Keep  cool,  keep  cool !  What  does  it  matter?  You  are 
excited  ;  it  is  a  bad  time  to  talk,"  urged  Madam  Imbert. 

"  But  I  must  talk:  I  shall  suffocate  if  I  don't.  Madam 
Imbert,  I  must  tell  you  all." 

"No!  You  must  not  talk  now.  Calm  yourself!  You 
must  keep  cool  !  Think  of  your  poor  husband  languish 
ing  in  prison,  and  remember  that  any  false  move  of  yours 
may  prove  to  his  disadvantage." 

"  But  what  makes  him  charge  me  with  receiving  im 
proper  attentions  from  De  Forest  ?  I  know  I  have  some 
times  been  foolish  with  him,  but  he  is  soft  and  I  have 
moulded  him  to  my  purpose.  He  has  been  my  errand- 
boy,  nothing  more ;  and  now  my  husband  thinks  me 
untrue  to  him,  when  I  would  gladly  die  for  him,  if  it 
would  help  him.  It  is  too  hard  to  bear,  too  hard  !  !" 

Madam  Imbert  had  had  the  forethought  to  bring  a 
bottle  of  brandy  with  her,  so  she  advised  :  "  Don't  make 
things  worse  than  they  are ;  you  had  better  say  no  more 
until  morning.  Here,  have  a  little  brandy  ;  I  saw  you 
were  nervous,  and  so  brought  a  bottle  with  me ;  take 
some,  and  then  go  to  bed.  After  a  good  sound  sleep  you 
will  be  able  to  see  your  way  much  clearer  than  now." 

"Oh,  thank  you,"  said  Mrs.  Maroney,  as  she  eagerly 
seized  the  glass  and  gulped  down  a  large  quantity. 

Madam  Imbert  started  to  leave. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    193 

"Please  don't  go  yet;  I  must  tell  you  all,"  pleaded 
Mrs.  Maroney. 

"Wait  till  to-morrow,"  said  Madam  Imbert,  "it  is  a 
bad  time  to  talk." 

"  Madam  Imbert,  you  are  now  my  only  friend,  and  I 
would  like  to  have  your  opinion  as  to  who  it  is  that  is 
writing  these  letters  about  me  to  my  husband.  If  I  knew 
the  dirty  dog,  I  would  put  a  ball  through  him.  I  am  not 
fairly  treated.  I  am  Maroney 's  wife,  and  he  should  not 
believe  such  slanders  against  me.  As  long  as  I  live  I  will 
do  all  I  can  for  him." 

"  Mrs.  Maroney,"  said  Madam  Imbert,  getting  up,  "  I 
must  not  listen  to  you  ;  I  will  go." 

"  Please  don't !  Who  can  it  be  that  is  writing  these 
reports  from  Jenkintown  ?"  again  enquired  Mrs.  Maroney. 

"  That  is  a  point  upon  which  it  is  hard  for  me  to 
enlighten  you,"  replied  the  Madam  ;  "it  might  be  Barclay 
or  some  of  Josh.'s  friends.  Josh,  is  a  good  clever  fellow, 
for  a  brother-in-law,  but  I  would  not  trust  him  too  much  ; 
he  is  a  little  inclined  to  talk,  and  Barclay  may  have  drawn 
something  from  him  and  written  to  your  husband  ;  I  know 
De  Forest  don't  like  him." 

"  I  will  see  Josh,  at  once,  and  find  out  about  this. 
Barclay,"  said  Mrs.  Maroney. 

"You  had  better  wait  till  morning,"  said  Madam 
Imbert,  as  she  rose  to  leave  the  room ;  "  I  must  go  to 
bed,  and  you  had  better  follow  my  example." 

Mrs.  Maroney  began  to  show  the  effects  of  the  brandy 
she  had  been  drinking,  but  she  took  Madam  Imbert's  arm 
and  went  to  the  door  with  her.  It  was  now  ten  o'clock, 
but  she  requested  the  Madam  to  tnke  a  turn  in  the  garden 


194          PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

with  her.  They  had  hardly  taken  two  steps  before  Mrs. 
Maroney  stumbled  over  a  man  concealed  at  the  side  of 
the  house.  It  was  Rivers,  but  he  was  up  and  off  before 
the  frightened  ladies  had  a  chance  to  see  him.  Madam 
Imbert  screamed  lustily,  although  she  well  knew  who  it 
was. 

"D — n  him,"  said  Mrs.  Maroney,  "that's  that  De 
Forest;  I  will  kill  him,  sure  !  What  was  he  doing  here?" 

Madam  Imbert  remarked  that  it  was  either  he  or 
Barclay. 

"I  know  what  he  is  looking  after,"  said  Mrs.  Maroney; 
"  I  see  through  the  whole  thing  !  De  Forest  is  a  tool  of  the 
Vice-President ;  he  thinks  he  has  got  my  secrets,  but  I'll 
be  after  him  yet."  Her  voice  was  hoarse  and  diy,  and 
plainly  showed  the  effects  of  the  brandy.  Madam  Imbert 
walked  out  of  the  garden  and  went  to  the  tavern,  while 
Mrs.  Maroney  went  into  the  house. 

Rivers,  when  he  was  disturbed  in  his  watching  of  the 
cellar  window,  rushed  straight  to  Stemples's,  where  he 
found  Barclay,  Horton  and  Cox.  "  How  do  you  do, 
boys?"  said  he,  "come  and  have  a  drink ;  I  have  just 
come  in  from  seeing  my  girl ;  she  is  a  good  one,  and  I 
think  will  make  me  happy ;  had  a  long  walk,  though  ; 
over  two  miles,  and  I  think  I  deserve  a  glass." 

Josh,  was  telling  about  Mrs.  Maroney 's  quarrel.  Rivers 
heard  him  patiently  through,  and  they  had  two  or  three 
drinks,  when  Mrs.  Cox  stalked  into  the  room.  All  the 
women  in  Jenkintown  seemed  on  the  rampage,  at  least  all 
those  we  are  dealing  with. 

'*  Josh.,  you  lazy,  good  for  nothing  fellow,  I  have  been 
locking  all  over  the  village  for  you  !" 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    195 

*'  Why,  you  ought  to  know  you  could  find  me  here," 
said  Josh. 

"Come  home  at  once;  sister  wants  you  to  watch  the 
house  to-night !  some  one  has  been  lurking  around  there, 
and  she  wants  you  to  find  out  who  it  is." 

"Well,"  said  Josh.,  carelessly,  "I'll  come." 

Rivers  now  spoke  up:  "I  am  not  very  busy  just  now, 
and  I  will  watch  with  you." 

"  Will  you  ?"  said  Mrs.  Cox,  in  a  pleased  tone;  I  would 
be  much  obliged  to  you  if  you  would ;  Josh,  has  been 
drinking  so  much  that  I  can't  place  much  reliance  on 
him." 

"  Certainly,"  said  Rivers,  and  the  trio  started  for  the 
scene  of  action. 

Mrs.  Maroney  was  in  bed  when  they  arrived,  but  she 
hastily  rose  and  came  to  the  door  in  her  night  dress. 

"  Now,  Josh.,"  she  commanded,  "  I  want  you  to  keep  a 
close  watch,  and  if  De  Forest,  or  any  one  else  comes  by 
the  cellar-window,  just  you  think  they  are  coming  to  rob 
your  house,  and  fire  !  Here  is  my  revolver." 

"  I  will  take  care  of  that,"  said  Rivers,  "  I  am  going  to 
stay  up  and  watch  with  Josh." 

"Oh,  thank  you!  Josh.,  you  had  better  let  Mr.  Rivers 
have  the  revolver." 

She  went  in,  and  Josh,  turned  the  revolver  over  to 
Rivers.  They  then  secreted  themselves  where  they  could 
see  any  one  coming  into  the  yard.  In  less  than  an  hour 
Josh,  was  snoring.  At  three  in  the  morning  Rivers  roused 
him  up,  got  him  into  the  house,  and  then,  thoroughly 
tired  out,  started  for  home. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

IN  the  morning  Jenkintown  enjoyed  the  calm  that 
always  follows  the  storm.  Madam  Imbert  called  on 
Mrs.  Maroney,  and  found  her  suffering  from  a  severe 
headache.  She  said  she  feared  she  had  taken  too  much 
champagne  the  day  before,  and  believed  that  De  Forest 
had  attempted  to  get  her  drunk.  She  could  not  imagine 
why  he  watched  the  house.  She  was  bound  to  have 
nothing  more  to  do  with  him,  as  she  was  certain  he  was  a 
tool  of  the  Express  Company.  "And  yet,"  she  said,  "I 
thought  he  was  a  man  above  that  sort  of  business  !  I 
thought  he  would  disdain  to  sell  himself  for  such  a 
purpose." 

Madam  Imbert  advised  her  to  be  patient,  and  to  be 
careful  not  to  do  De  Forest  an  injustice  by  judging  him 
wrongfully.  "  You  don't  know,"  she  remarked,  "  but  that 
he  really  loves  you,  and  was  only  trying  to  see  if  you  were 
receiving  other  company."  They  conversed  for  some 
time  on  the  subject,  and  Madam  Imbert  finally  found  that 
Mrs.  Maroney  was  very  much  inclined  to  take  her  view 
of  the  subject.  She  said  she  really  thought  De  Forest 
loved  her,  and  perhaps  she  had  been  too  hasty  with  him. 
It  was  Madam  Imbert's  best  plan  to  take  this  course,  as 
it  would  show  what  a  disinterested  friend  she  was.  She 
wanted  to  keep  watch  on  Cox's  house,  but  in  such  a  man 
ner  as  not  to  excite  suspicion. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.    197 

Mrs.  Maroney  said  she  would  write  to  Nat.  and  explain 
the  matter,  but  said  she  would  like  to  find  out  who  had 
written  to  her  husband.  Madam  Imbert  and  she  cogi 
tated  over  the  subject  for  some  time,  but  could  not 
decide  upon  any  particular  person.  Finally  Mrs.  Maro 
ney  concluded  she  would  take  a  nap,  as  she  thought  she 
would  feel  much  brighter  afterwards.  She  said  she  would 
write  to  her  husband  the  first  thing  after  dinner,  and 
asked  the  Madam  to  call  a  little  later  and  take  a  walk 
with  her. 

De  Forest  remained  in  the  hotel  all  the  morning.  He 
did  not  call  on  Mrs.  Maroney,  and  vainly  puzzled  his  brain 
to  determine  the  cause  of  her  excitement.  He  came 
into  the  bar-room,  where  he  found  Rivers,  as  serene  as 
ever,  and  willing  to  console  any  one.  In  a  few  minutes 
Josh.,  Horton  and  Barclay  arrived.  The  posse  talked  over 
the  trouble  of  the  preceding  night,  and  De  Forest  hoped 
that,  as  Josh,  had  come  from  the  scene  of  action,  he  would 
be  able  to  enlighten  him  as  to  the  cause  of  Mrs.  Maro- 
ney's  strange  conduct.  But  Cox  was  as  much  at  a  loss 
to  account  for  her  passion  as  he.  Said  he  :  "  All  I  know 
is  that  she  is  a  regular  tartar,  and  no  mistake  !  Whew ! 
didn't  she  rave  though  ?  " 

The  Vice-President  and  I  received  the  reports  in  Phil 
adelphia,  and  had  a  quiet  laugh  over  them.  All  was 
working  to  suit  us. 

In  the  afternoon  Madam  Imbert  walked  out  with  Mrs. 
Maroney,  who  had  just  finished  her  letter  to  her  husband. 
As  they  walked  along  she  said,  "  I  told  my  husband  that 
I  knew  nothing  about  the  man  with  the  long  mustache 
further  than  that  he  was  living  in  Jenkintown  before  I 


198  PIATKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

left  the  South  ;  that  when  I  first  arrived  here  he  did  sev 
eral  kind  things  for  me,  and  had  driven  me  into  Philadel 
phia  a  few  times  when  I  could  not  get  the  train,  but  that 
you,  Madam  Imbert,  had  always  accompanied  me.  I 
spoke  of  you  as  a  perfect  lady,  and  as  being  a  true  friend 
of  mine,  and  that  you  often  cautioned  me  against  talking 
too  much.  I  said  that  if  it  was  De  Forest  he  alluded  to, 
I  was  perfectly  safe  in  his  company.  I  asked  him  if  he 
thought  it  likely  that  I,  whose  interests  were  identical 
with  his,  would  be  likely  to  prove  untrue  to  him,  and  told 
him  he  might  rest  perfectly  assured  that  I  would  do 
nothing  without  his  knowledge  and  consent." 

They  walked  to  Stemples's  and  posted  the  letter.  On 
the  way  they  met  De  Forest,  but  Mrs.  Maroney  took  no 
notice  of  him.  After  mailing  the  letter,  they  strolled 
through  the  pleasure  grounds  for  some  time.  At  last  they 
separated,  each  taking  their  respective  way  home. 

At  the  tavern  Madam  Imbert  was  met  by  De  Forest, 
who  requested  a  private  interview.  She  readily  consented, 
and,  after  tea,  met  him  in  the  sitting-room.  De  Forest 
related  his  sorrowful  story,  and  asked  her  if  she  knew 
what  had  caused  Mrs.  Maroney  to  treat  him  so  harshly. 

She  said,  "these  things  will  happen  once  in  awhile  ;  it 
is  part  of  a  woman's  nature  to  take  sudden  and  unac 
countable  freaks ;  but  all  will  be  right  by-and-by."  She 
quoted  Scott's  beautiful  lines  : 

"  O  Woman  !  in  our  hours  of  ease 
Uncertain,  coy  and  hard  lo  please, 
And  variable  as  the  shade 
By  the  light  quivering  aspen  made  : 
When  pain  and  anguish  wring  the  brow, 
A  ministering  Angel  thou  — 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    199 

De  Forest  fervently  hoped  that,  as  she  had  brought 
"  pain  and  anguish  "  to  his  brow,  she  would  now  become 
his  "  ministering  angel,"  and  went  off  somewhat  com 
forted.  Madam  Irnbert  saw  Mrs.  Maroney  in  the  evening 
and  told  her  of  the  interview  with  De  Forest.  This  made 
her  feel  quite  happy,  and  she  even  remarked  :  "  I  think  I 
have  been  too  hard  on  the  poor  fellow." 

White  and  Maroney  were  together  when  Mrs.  Ma 
roney 's  letter  arrived.  Maroney  read  it  carefully  through 
and  then  went  to  his  cell.  In  the  afternoon,  White 
observed  him  writing  and  directed  Shanks  to  open  the 
letter  when  he  received  it.  Shanks  did  so  and  found  it 
was  to  his  wife. 

He  wrote  that  he  was  happy  to  hear  that  she  was  still 
true  to  him,  and  to  find  that  he  had  been  deceived.  He 
felt  assured  that  the  blow  must  have  been  aimed  by  some 
of  his  enemies.  If  he  were  at  liberty  he  would  find  the 
man,  but  as  he  was  not  he  would  have  to  wait.  He  directed 
her  to  endeavor  to  find  out  who  had  sent  the  letter.  As 
she  assured  him  she  would  do  nothing  without  his  ap 
proval,  he  was  contented. 

When  I  received  a  copy  of  his  letter,  I  was  convinced 
that  he  was  trying  to  make  the  best  of  a  bad  bargain. 
He  could  not  be  spared  from  Eldridge  street  jail  just  at 
that  time  and  had  to  trust  his  wife  whether  he  would  or 
not. 

White  and  he  lived  quietly  together.  He  told  White 
that  he  was  confined  at  the  instigation  of  the  Adams 
Express,  who  accused  him  of  stealing  fifty  thousand  dol 
lars  from  them. 

"But,  of  course,"  said  he,  "  I  am  innocent!  " 


200  P1NKERTON*S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

Still,  as  I  have  before  mentioned,  he  was  anxious  to 
break  jail  —  an  unusual  inclination  for  an  innocent  man. 

About  this  time  he  happened  to  read  in  the  papers  an 
account  of  a  robbery  in  Tennessee,  in  which  a  descrip 
tion  of  the  stolen  money  and  bills  was  given.  As  he  and 
White  were  walking  in  the  hall,  he  said  to  White  : 

"  White,  I  wonder  if  it  would  not  be  a  good  move  to 
try  some  game  in  my  case  ?  Of  course,  I  am  innocent ! 
I  think  the  messenger,  Chase,  the  guilty  party,  and  I  want 
to  arrange  some  plan  to  throw  suspicion  on  him  or  some 
one  else ;  but  (in  an  amusing  tone)  there  is  no  one  else. 
Chase  received  the  money  from  me  and  put  it  into  the 
pouch !  Still,  I  can't  prove  this,  as  there  v/cre  no  wit 
nesses.  It  will  be  my  oath  against  his,  and  as  the  com 
pany  have  taken  his  part,  he  will  have  the  best  of  it.  It 

.1  strange  affair.    Chase  was  at  the  counter  checking  off 

-;r.ckages  as  I  put  them  in  the  pouch.      He  now  says 

he  did  not  see  all  the  packages,  as  they  went  in   so 

quickly  that   he   had   all  he   could  do  to  check  them  off. 

Strange,   indeed !     If  I   were  checking  off  packages    of 

such  large  amounts  I  think  I  should  be  likely  to  look  at 

them,  don't  you  ?     I  wish  in   some  way  to   prove  Chase 

dishonest.     At  present   it   is   even   between   us,   but   the 

company  support  him  and  leave  me  in  the  lurch." 

"  Yes,"  said  White,  "  it  is  just  about  as  you  say,  an  even 
thing  between  you  ;  but  the  company  have  undoubtedly 
sided  with  Chase  because  you  have  the  most  money,  and 
they  think  they  can  recover  the  amount  from  you  or 
from  your  friends !  But  I  don't  see  how  you  can  clear 
yourself.  If  Chase  only  nv/ears  he  did  not  receive  the 
money,  it  will  go  hard  with  you." 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.    201 

White  thought  that  now  Maroney  would  propose  to  him 
to  get  Shanks  to  have  some  duplicate  keys  of  the  com 
pany's  pouch  made ;  but  apparently  he  did  not  yet  feel 
fully  certain  that  he  could  trust  White.  He  broached  the 
subject  several  times,  but  finally  dropped  it  altogether. 

A  few  days  after,  Maroney  had  another  talk  with  White 
and  treated  him  with  much  more  confidence  than  before. 
White  said  little,  and  was  a  good  man  to  talk  to.  Ma 
roney  made  no  admissions,  but  all  his  expressions  and 
manners  showed  guilt.  White  at  least  did  not  accept 
them  as  showing  his  innocence.  He  always  pointed  to 
Chase  as  the  guilty  party.  Maroney  frequently  brought 
up  his  troubles  as  a  topic  of  conversation  with  White ;  but 
White  was  professedly  so  employed  with  his  own  busi 
ness  that  he  said  but  little.  All  that  Maroney  said  to  him 
seemed  to  go  in  at  one  ear  and  out  at  the  other.  When 
he  made  a  remark  it  was  a  casual  one  and  had  no  bearing 
on  the  subject.  This  caused  Maroney  to  talk  still  more, 
devising  plans  for  throwing  suspicion  on  Chase.  White 
casually  said  : 

"  What  sort  of  a  man  is  Chase  ?  A  smart,  shrewd  fel 
low  who  would  pick  up  a  money  package  if  he  saw  it 
lying  handy,  and  dispose  of  it?  " 

"  No,"  replied  Maroney,  slowly  weighing  every  word. 
"I  don't  think  he  would.  He  is  a  pretty  fair  man;  but 
the  company  have  no  right  to  make  him  a  witness  against 
me !  " 

"  Who  are  his  friends  ?  "  enquired  White. 

"His  father  lives  in  Georgia;  he  is  a  whole-souled  old 
planter;  has  a  good  many  slaves;  but  his  property  is 
much  encumbered.  Chase  is  a  good  fellow  after  all !  " 


202  PINtfERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

"By-the-by,"  asked  White,  "  does  he  ever  go  to  see  the 
fancy  girls  ?  " 

"Yes,  he  does,  occasionally,"  answered  Maroney. 

"  Would  it  not  be  a  good  plan  to  take  four  or  five  thou 
sand  dollars  and  get  the  girls  to  stuff  it  into  his  pants 
pocket;  then  get  him  drunk,  and  as  he  started  away  have 
some  detective  arrest  him  ?  " 

"Yes,"  answered  Maroney,  "it  might  be  done,  and  Gus 
McGibony  is  the  man  to  do  it.  He  is  a  good  friend  of 
mine.  If  I  were  only  out,  I  might  do  something.  White, 
your  idea  is  a  good  one,  you  are  a  splendid  contriver;  but 
I  must  find  some  one  to  carry  out  the  plan.  I  have  friends 
in  Montgomery,  and  I  think  Charlie  May  would  help  me. 
No,  he  is  too  much  under  the  influence  of  his  wife !  Pat 
terson  would  help  me  some;  but  I  think  Porter  is  the 
best  man  for  me !  " 

"  Porter  ?  who  is  he  ?  " 

"  He  is  the  clerk  of  the  Exchange  Hotel,"  said  Maroney. 

"  He  would  be  a  good  man  for  you  if  you  can  trust 
him." 

"  I  know  I  can  do  that !  he  would  do  anything  in  the 
world  for  me." 

"  He  is  just  the  man  to  be  familiar  with  the  girls. 
Clerks  at  hotels  always  are.  Girls  must  often  stop  at  the 
hotel,  and  he  might  arrange  to  get  Chase  into  a  room  with 
one  of  them,  and  then  the  rest  could  be  easily  accom 
plished.  Does  Chase  board  at  the  Exchange  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Maroney.  "  White,  you're  a  genius  ! 
I  have  a  good  mind  to  write  to  Porter  at  once  and  lay 
your  plan  before  him." 

White    looked    at   him    in    astonishment.       "  Are    you 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   203 

crazy  "  said  he  ;  "  would  you  trust  such  matters  on  paper  ? 
'I  never  do.' 

"  You  are  right  again,"  exclaimed  Maroney. 

They  talked  the  affair  over  for  several  days,  the  trouble 
being  to  get  a  proper  person  to  act  as  a  go-between  to 
arrange  matters  with  Porter.  Maroney  asked  White  why 
he  could  not  trust  Shanks. 

"  You  could ;  but  the  trouble  is  he  has  never  been  in 
the  South." 

"  That  would  make  but  little  difference." 

"  No,  now  I  think  of  it,  I  don't  know  as  it  would.  He 
would  only  have  to  carry  the  messages,  and  Shanks 
always  obeys  orders." 

"Well,  I  will  think  it  over,"  remarked  Maroney;  and 
the  matter  dropped,  he  evidently  fearing  that  Shanks 
would  get  the  money  and  clear  out. 

One  day  he  said  :  "  White,  I  wonder  if  the  Express 
Company  would  not  settle  the  matter  with  me  ?  I  am  not 
guilty  of  the  theft,  but  things  look  blue  for  me.  I  have 
some  money,  and  I  think  I  will  make  a  proposition  to 
them." 

"  You  could  not  do  a  more  foolish  thing ;  they  would 
at  once  conclude  that  you  were  certainly  guilty,  and  make 
you  surfer  for  it,"  argued  White. 

White  kept  me  informed  of  all  that  went  on,  and  I  had 
instructed  him  that  we  would  make  no  compromise.  The 
company  did  not  care  so  much  for  the  money,  as  of  mak 
ing  an  example  of  the  guilty  party.  That  would  show 
the  other  employes  what  would  be  their  fate  if  they 
were  caught  in  similar  peculations. 

About  this  time  Maroney's  brother  came  to  New  York, 


204          PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

from  Danielsville.  He  was  a  man  of  good  standing,  well- 
meaning,  and  honest  in  his  intentions.  Maroney  had 
looked  anxiously  for  his  coming,  as  he  supposed  his 
brother  would  be  able  to  effect  his  release  on  bail.  He 
knew  that  his  brother  alone  could  not  make  the  bail-bond 
good,  as  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  is  a  large  sum  to 
be  raised,  but  supposed  that  by  his  influence  he  might 
get  others  to  sign  with  him. 

I  placed  "  shadows  "  on  his  brother's  track,  and  they, 
with  White  on  the  inside,  and  Shanks  on  the  outside, 
kept  me  fully  informed  of  what  he  was  intending  to  do. 
He  appeared  to  feel  very  bad  at  finding  his  brother  in 
jail,  and  evinced  a  desire  to  do  all  he  could  for  him.  He 
had  a  long  interview  with  Maroney  and  his  lawyer,  but 
everything  appeared  against  him.  Maroney's  brother  had 
no  property  in  New  York,  and  the  only  way  he  could 
raise  the  necessary  bail  was  by  giving  a  mortgage  on  his 
property  as  security  to  some  man  in  New  York,  and  have 
him  go  on  the  bond. 

The  matter  was  well  canvassed  between  them,  but 
finally,  like  all  the  other  plans  devised  to  effect  his 
release,  was  abandoned  as  impracticable.  The  brother 
did  not  like  to  procure  bail  in  this  way,  for  if  he  did,  and 
Maroney  should  run  away,  the  Adams  Express  would 
prosecute  the  bondsmen,  who  in  turn  would  foreclose  the 
mortgage,  and  in  all  likelihood  become  the  owners  of  his 
property.  He  would  do  a  great  deal  for  his  brother,  but 
felt  that  this  was  asking  too  much.  His  duty  to  his 
family  would  not  permit  him  to  run  so  great  a  risk,  and 
he  therefore  returned  home  without  accomplishing  the 
object  of  his  visit. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.   205 

So  far,  all  my  schemes  had  proved  successful. 

White  had  weakened  Maroney's  confidence  in  his 
friends.  I  wanted  him  to  see  and  feel  that  all  those 
whom  he  considered  his  friends  before  the  jail  door 
closed  upon  him,  were  so  no  longer.  One  by  one  he  saw 
them  abandon  him  to  his  fate,  till  he  had  no  one  left  on 
whom  to  rely,  but  White.  His  brother  had  come  and 
gone  without  accomplishing  anything.  He  feared  that 
even  his  wife  was  untrue  to  him,  and  that  she,  instead  of 
proving  a  safe  guardian  for  his  property,  might  at  any 
moment  leave  with  De  Forest  and  the  money.  His  wife 
had  often  spoken  of  a  Madam  Imbert,  but  he  had  never 
seen  her,  and  knew  not  whether  she  was  to  be  trusted. 
From  his  wife's  correspondence,  he  was  disposed  to  think 
favorably  of  her,  and  several  times  was  on  the  point  of 
sending  word  to  his  wife  to  pay  him  a  visit  and  bring 
Madam  Imbert  with  her.  But  what  good  would  it  do  ? 
After  all,  it  was  better  to  trust  White. 

One  day  White  turned  to  Maroney,  after  writing  several 
letters  and  holding  a  long  interview  with  Shanks,  and 
said  :  "  Maroney,  I  think  I  can  procure  bail.  My  lawyers 
have  been  working  hard  in  my  behalf,  and  one  of  them 
went  to  St.  Louis  to  see  my  prosecutors.  He  found  they 
would  do  nothing  unless  they  got  all  their  money  back. 
Of  course  I  could  not  give  them  that,"  said  he  with  a 
wink,  "as  I  haven't  it;  and  so  my  lawyer  was  unable  to 
do  anything  for  me.  Shanks,  however,  has  just  been  in, 
and  he  has  not  been  idle  during  the  five  days  he  has  been 
absent.  He  has  made  arrangements  with  a  party  to  go 
my  bail,  provided  I  will  advance  a  considerable  sum  as 
security.  Nothing  is  needed  now  but  security,  and  I  think 


206  PIA'KERTON'S  DETECTIVE   STORIES 

I  can  manage  it.  I  can  give  them  some  money,  and  they 
will  then  manage  to  get  me  out  on  straw  bail.  I  can  then 
loaf  around  town,  enjoying  myself,  and  if  I  cannot  com 
promise  the  matter,  or  if  I  think  that  the  trial  will  go 
against  me,  I  can  run  away.  In  this  way  I  shall  lose  my 
security,  and  my  bondsmen  will  have  to  fight  the  bond  ; 
but  still,"  said  he,  with  a  chuckle,  the  keen  Yankee  show 
ing  out,  "but  still  I  shall  not  do  so  badly,  after  all,  as  I 
shall  have  about  twenty  thousand  dollars  left  to  begin 
business  with  in  a  new  place." 

Maroney  was  more  than  ever  impressed  with  his  ability, 
and  began  to  think  that  White  was  now  his  only  true 
mend,  and  the  best  man  to  help  him  out  of  his  difficulty. 
He  had  now  been  in  jail  several  months,  and  it  was  time 
to  get  matters  fixed  up.  Why  could  he  not  trust  White 
to  help  him  ?  He  was  a  good  contriver,  and  apparently 
could  be  trusted.  Still  it  would  not  do  to  be  too  certain, 
so  he  would  quietly  feel  his  way  along.  He  gradually 
broached  the  subject  to  White  by  saying,  "  WThite,  I  feel 
very  bad  at  the  idea  of  your  leaving  me ;  after  you  go,  all 
my  friends  will  be  away  from  me.  I  might  rely  on  Por 
ter's  help,  or  perhaps  on  Patterson's.  McGibony  is  a 
good  fellow,  and  would  willingly  help  me,  but  I  can't  trust 
him  too  far,  as  he  could  be  easily  pumped.  Moreover, 
the  great  trouble  is,  that  they  are  all  down  South.  I 
can  not  take  my  wife  from  Jenkintown,  and  yet  I  feel  as 
though  the  Adams  Express  were  watching  her.  What 
must  I  do?  You  are  a  keen  fellow;  can't  you  help  me 
when  you  get  out  ?  I  have  some  money  of  my  own,  and 
I  would  gladly  pay  you  for  your  trouble." 

"  Well,"  said  White,  "  I  shall  have  all  I  can  do  to  attend 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    207 

to  my  own  business  for  the  first  four  or  five  days  I  am  out, 
but  after  that  I  might  help  you.  I  don't  know  as  I  shall 
be  able  to  do  you  any  good,  but  if  I  make  an  effort,  we 
must  have  a  clear  understanding  that  my  connection  with 
the  matter  must  never  be  known.  If  I  wish  to  communi 
cate  with  you  I  will  send  Shanks,  who  will  be  at  once 
admitted  to  see  you  as  an  old  friend.  If  I  were  you,  I 
would  not  talk  to  any  of  your  New  York  friends  about  it. 
They  don't  seem  to  care  much  for  you,  and  very  seldom 
come  to  see  you.  Your  lawyer  is  not  doing  much  for 
you,  and  it  would  be  just  as  well  not  to  let  him  into  the 
secret  either.  Above  all,  you  must  not  let  your  wife  or 
Madam  Imbert  know  any  thing  about  it.  I  have  had  much 
trouble  once  or  twice  through  women,  and  have  deter 
mined  never  again  to  trust  them.  It  is  utterly  impossible 
for  a  woman  to  keep  a  secret.  She  may  love  you  to 
distraction,  but  confide  a  secret  to  her  and  she  is  never 
satisfied  till  she  divulges  it."  Maroney  eagerly  listened 
to  all  White  had  to  say,  and  then  replied:  "White, 
depend  upon  it,  you  are  the  right  man  for  me  !  If  you 
will  only  figure  for  me  as  well  as  you  have  done  for 
yourself,  you  will  have  me  out  of  jail  in  a  very  short 
time." 

"  What  do  you  want  me  to  undertake?" 

"  The  first  thing  is  to  carry  out  the  plan  you  proposed 
the  other  day  —  of  placing  the  money  on  Chase's  person. 
I  will  make  the  blow  more  telling  by  getting  you  to  have 
a  key  made  similar  to  the  pouch-key,  and  putting  it  into 
his  pocket  at  the  same  time.  I  have  a  fine  drawing  of  the 
key  and  you  can  easily  have  it  made.  I  know  Chase  is 
the  guilty  party,  and  this  move  will  exonerate  me  and 


208  PINKERTOX'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

bring  the  proper  person  to  justice.  I  am  sorry  for  Chase, 
but  he  can't  expect  me  to  suffer  for  his  crime.  I  will 
furnish  you  the  necessary  money  to  put  into  his  poc  ket, 
and  give  you  a  letter  to  Gus.  McGibony,  who  will  arrest 
Chase  at  the  proper  moment." 

"That's  easily  arranged,"  said  White,  "and  McGibony 
need  not  know  any  thing  about  the  dodge.  I  shall  need 
him  only  to  make  the  arrest  at  the  moment  when  the  girl 
gives  me  the  wink.  The  worst  of  the  thing  is,  we  shall 
be  compelled  to  have  a  woman  in  the  case  any  way ;  but 
I  am  acquainted  with  a  splendid  looking  girl  here,  who 
may,  perhaps,  keep  her  mouth  shut.  I  will  send  her  to 
Montgomery,  get  her  into  the  Exchange  Hotel,  and  she 
will  soon  manage  to  draw  Chase  into  her  room.  When 
he  goes  in  I  will  get  McGibony  and  have  him  arrested 
and  searched  as  soon  as  he  gets  to  his  own  room." 

''Capital!  capital!!"  said  Maroney,  jumping  up  and 
walking  across  the  hall,  rubbing  his  hands  with  glee. 
"  White,  if  you  succeed  in  this  I  will  pay  you  well  for  it." 

"  What  kind  of  money  was  it  the  company  lost  ?"  asked 
White. 

"Oh!  of  course  I  don't  know;  I  never  saw  it !''  quickly 
answered  Maroney,  at  the  same  time  looking  into  White's 
face  with  an  expression  in  his  eye  which  showed  that  he 
wished  to  read  his  inmost  thoughts.  White  took  no 
notice  of  this  look,  but  went  on  with  apparent  uncon 
cern.  "Well,  one  of  the  first  things  we  must  do  is  to 
find  out  what  kind  of  money  was  stolen  from  the  Ex 
press  Company,  procure  bills  of  the  same  kind,  and  when 
they  are  found  on  Chase,  he  is  gone,  and  his  conviction  is 
certain." 


THE  I'.XPRESSMAX  AND    T1IF.   DETECTIVE.    209 

"Yes  !  yes!"  muttered  Maroney,  as  the  thought  flashed 
through  his  mind,  "  can  he  really  suspect  me  of  having 
stolen  the  money?"  "Yes,  it  would  be  a  good  plan. 
You  might  find  out  what  banks  the  company  received 
the  money  from  and  get  some  of  their  bills  !  It  is  a  good 
thing  to  look  after,  any  way." 

Maroney  was  not  fully  prepared  to  trust  White,  although 
he  would  eventually  have  to  do  it.  If  he  had  been 
scanned  by  a  close  observer,  there  would  have  been 
discovered  in  his  mind  a  doubt  of  White's  fealty,  caused 
by  the  home-thrust  he  gav^  when  he  asked  about  the 
money. 

14 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

AT  Jenkintown  all  was  well.  Mrs.  Maroney  had  made 
up  with  De  Forest  and  his  present  happiness  was  so 
great  that  he  had  entirely  forgotten  his  past  sorrow.  He 
was  very  fond  of  Flora  and  enjoyed  walking  with  her, 
especially  when  her  mother  was  along.  Madam  Imbert 
sometimes  drove  into  Philadelphia  with  Mrs.  Maroney  to 
do  shopping,  and  De  Forest  was  always  their  coachman. 
Mrs.  Maroney  was  loyal  to  a  promise  she  had  made  her 
husband,  and  never  went  out  driving  with  De  Forest 
unaccompanied  by  Madam  Imbert. 

De  Forest  had  only  one  seat  to  his  buggy,  and  it  was 
rather  irksome  to  be  conveying  two  ladies  around  all  the 
time.  He  had  but  little  room,  seated  between  them,  and 
as  the  weather  was  warm,  he  was  often  very  uncomfor 
table.  He  was  tall,  and  his  knees  were  jammed  closely 
against  the  dash-board ;  but  he  bore  all  the  inconvenience 
manfully. 

It  was  always  their  custom  to  drive  to  Mitchell's  when 
they  went  to  the  city.  The  ladies  would  alight  here, 
while  De  Forest  would  stable  his  horses.  At  dinner  time 
they  would  meet  again  and  drive  home.  One  day,  while 
in  the  city,  Madam  Imbert  said  to  Mrs.  Maroney: 

"Wait  here  a  few  minutes  for  me,  I  want  to  get  some 
money  changed." 

She  left   Mrs.   Maroney  at   Mitchell's   and   walked    to 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.    211 

Third  street.  Here  she  went  into  a  bank  and  drew  five 
hundred  dollars  I  had  left  there  for  her  and  came  out. 
She  then  walked  up  Third  street  and  went  into  the  office 
of  Miller  Bros.,  brokers,  where  she  had  the  money  changed 
into  Eastern  funds. 

Mrs.  Maroney  was  smart.  She  had  followed  closely 
after  Madam  Imbert  and  acted  the  part  of  a  "shadow."  As 
the  latter  came  out  of  the  brokers'  office  and  approached 
the  corner  of  Chestnut  street,  Mrs.  Maroney  met  her. 

"  I  am  glad  to  meet  you,"  said  she;  "  I  am  on  my  way 
to  Second  street  to  get  some  goods.  Did  you  get  your 
money  changed  ?  " 

Madam  Imbert  was  prepared. 

"Yes,"  said  she,  "but  I  di-d  not  have  much.  I  have 
the  most  of  my  money  in  a  safe  place.  At  the  Third 
street  bank,  they  told  me  they  did  not  have  any  Eastern 
funds  and  looked  very  queerly  at  me,  so  I  went  to  the 
brokers'  office  and  they  finally  changed  it.  A  person  has 
to  be  cautious,  as  it  is  sometimes  very  difficult  to  succeed. 
People  ask  questions  at  times  that  it  is  impossible  for  one 
to  answer.  You  have  never  had  to  do  so  much  in  this 
way  as  I  have  !  have  you  ?  " 

"No!"  replied  Mrs.  Maroney,  coloring  deeply;  "but 
I  suppose  I  shall  have  to  learn!  I  will  tell  you  a  secret 
of  mine  some  time.  You  may  be  of  great  use  to  me,  will 
you  help  me  if  you  can  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  Madam  Imbert,  recalling  her  poor  hus 
band  languishing  in  confinement.  "  Your  husband  is  like 
mine,  both  are  in  prison.  I  feel  strongly  drawn  toward 
you  and  will  do  all  I  can  for  you.  Oh  !  why  can't  I  suc 
ceed  in  getting  my  darling  free!  " 


212  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

They  had  reached  the  dry-goods  store  and  went  in  to 
make  their  purchases. 

I  was  desirous  of  impressing  upon  Mrs.  Maroney  the 
difficulties  in  the  way  of  changing  money,  and  my  plan 
was  successful  beyond  my  expectations.  She  saw  the 
trouble  Madam  Imbert  had  at  the  bank  and  at  the  bro 
kers,  and  learned  that  bankers  and  brokers  were  liable  to 
ask  very  pointed  questions  when  changing  money.  If 
she  had  any  idea  of  changing  her  stolen  money  she  might 
be  frightened  out  of  it,  and  prefer  to  rely  for  assistance 
on  Madam  Imbert,  who  seemed  an  experienced  hand. 

After  they  had  made  their  purchases  the  ladies  returned 
to  Mitchell's  and  were  driven  home  by  De  Forest. 

Madam  Imbert  spent  the  evening  with  Mrs.  Maroney, 
but  nothing  of  interest  transpired.  A  day  or  two  after, 
as  they  were  seated  in  the  garden,  Mrs.  Maroney  took 
Madam  Imbert  partially  into  her  confidence  and  gave  her 
a  sketch  of  her  life,  which,  it  must  be  confessed,  as  nar 
rated  by  her,  made  her  appear  very  pure  and  spotless. 
She  said  that  Maroney  met  her  a  heart-broken  widow, 
and  that  she  married  him  only  to  prevent  him  from  com 
mitting  suicide,  so  desperately  smitten  was  he;  that  they 
came  to  Montgomery,  where  Maroney  was  appointed 
agent  of  the  Adams  Express — a  very  lucrative  position — 
and  then  continued  : 

"  Maroney  had  a  good  deal  of  money  of  his  own,  but 
did  not  talk  much  about  it,  in  fact  kept  it  a  secret  from 
every  one  but  me.  No  one  is  obliged  to  state  what  he  is 
worth.  He  was  a  very  kind-hearted  man  and  fairly  idol 
ized  my  little  Flora.  He  was  making  arrangements  to 
buy  a  plantation  and  a  lot  of  slaves  ;  had  made  money 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   213 

buying  and  selling  horses,  and  owned  a  large  interest  in 
a  livery  stable  in  Montgomery.  On  a  trip  he  made  to  the 
North  he  purchased  a  fast  horse  named  "Yankee  Mary," 
and  used  to  take  me  out  for  a  drive  every  day.  Nat.  is 
one  of  the  best  men  that  ever  lived,  but  he  is  a  little  in 
clined  to  be  careless.  We  were  as  happy  and  contented 
as  could  be,  when  —  oh!  unfortunate  day  for  us! — the 
Adams  Express  was  robbed  and  my  husband  was  accused 
of  the  theft.  He  was  arrested  in  Montgomery,  but  liber 
ated  on  small  bail.  Soon  afterward  I  came  North  on  a 
visit,  and  when  he  came  to  bring  me  home  he  was  arrested 
in  New  York  and  thrown  into  prison.  I  immediately 
went  South,  sold  all  his  property  and  secreted  the  money 
about  me,  so  that  the  Adams  Express  would  not  get  hold 
of  it.  I  have  now  the  money  secreted  here;  but  there 
have  been  a  great  many  small  burglaries  committed  around 
here,  and  I  am  in  constant  dread  of  its  being  stolen.  I 
don't  dare  leave  Jenkintown  for  a  night,  and  fervently 
wish  my  husband  were  out  of  jail  to  take  care  of  it.  What 
do  you  do  with  your  money,  Madam  Imbert?  " 

"  I  take  care  of  it  in  various  ways.  Sometimes  I  carry 
large  amounts  concealed  on  my  person;  but  the  last  time 
I  was  away  I  placed  the  most  of  it  in  a  safe  place." 

"  I  wish  I  knew  of  a  safe  place.  If  my  husband  were 
only  out,  he  would  soon  find  one,"  remarked  Mrs.  Maroney. 

"What  are  his  prospects  for  getting  out?"  asked  the 
Madam. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know,  indeed ;  he  is  sometimes  hopeful, 
sometimes  in  despair ;  he  has  been  writing  me  lately  of  a 
friend  of  his  named  White,  who  was  imprisoned  a  day  or 
two  after  him.  White  has  managed  to  make  arrangements 


214          PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

to  effect  his  own  release  on  bail,  and  when  he  gets  out, 
has  promised  to  assist  Nat." 

"If  White  managed  to  get  himself  out,  I  should  think 
him  just  the  man  to  assist  your  husband,"  said  Madam 
Imbert. 

"  Nat.  thinks  so  too ;  but  he  probably  will  not  decide 
on  any  plan  until  White  gets  out,  when  they  together  may 
do  something." 

A  day  or  two  after  this  long  conversation,  Mrs.  Maroney 
again  alluded  to  the  robberies  taking  place  in  Jenkin- 
town,  and  expressed  much  anxiety  for  the  safety  of  her 
treasure. 

Madam  Imbert  informed  her  that  she  expected  a  friend 
of  hers  to  come  in  a  day  or  two  to  exchange  some 
money  for  her.  She  had  to  have  some  to  send  to  her 
husband's  lawyer,  who  was  making  every  effort  to  effect 
his  release.  "  If  your  money  is  bulky,  from  being  in  bills 
of  small  denominations,  he  might  exchange  it  for  you  and 
give  you  large  bills,  which  you  could  easily  carry  with 
you.  I  have  transacted  a  good  deal  of  business  with 
him,  and  have  always  found  him  careful  and  honest.  If 
you  wish,  I  will  introduce  you  to  him." 

Mrs.  Maroney  was  always  very  suspicious,  and  her 
fears  were  somewhat  aroused  by  the  proposition.  "What 
sort  of  a  man  is  he?  "  she  inquired. 

"  I  know  nothing  further  of  him  than  what  I  have  told 
you;  he  has  always  acted  honestly  with  me." 

"  Could  you  not  manage  to  have  the  money  exchanged 
for  me  without  my  being  known  in  the  transaction?" 
asked  Mrs.  Maroney. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    215 

"  Yes,  I  could,  but  it  would  be  better  for  you  to  see 
him." 

"Oh,  no;  there  is  no  necessity  of  his  knowing  me. 
You  can  introduce  me  as  a  friend,  if  you  like,  but  get  the 
money  changed  as  if  it  were  your  own,  and  pay  him  well 
for  it." 

•'  Just  as  you  please,"  answered  the  Madam. 

Mrs.  Maroney  wished  in  this  way  to  compromise 
Madam  Imbert,  and  get  her  into  the  same  boat  with 
Maroney  and  her.  I  was  doing  everything  possible  to 
bring  out  the  money,  and  was  able  to  protect  my  detect 
ives.  I  had  placed  tempting  bait  for  both  Maroney  and 
his  wife,  and  they  were  nibbling  strongly.  My  anglers 
were  experts,  and  would  soon  hook  their  fish,  and  after 
playing  them  carefully  would  land  them  securely. 

Mrs.  Maroney 's  confidence  in  Madam  Imbert  increased 
daily,  until  finally  she  said  to  her  :  "  Madam  Imbert,  you 
would  do  me  a  great  favor  if  you  would  take  charge  of 
some  money  packages  I  have.  You  could  put  them  in  a 
safe  place,  and  let  me  have  small  amounts  now  and  then, 
as  I  needed  them.  When  my  husband  gets  out  we  can 
use  the  money  ;  but  now  we  do  not  need  it.  The  Adams 
Express  might  find  out  I  have  money,  and  they  might 
try  to  get  possession  of  it.  It  is  not  theirs,  but  they 
would  make  trouble  for  me  if  they  could." 

"  No,"  replied  the  Madam,  "  that  I  could  not  do.  I 
don't  want  to  be  bothered  with  other  people's  money.  I 
have  enough  trouble  with  my  own.  If  I  should  take 
yours,  I  should  never  have  any  rest,  fearing  it  might  be 
stolen ;  and  if  it  should  be,  I  could  never  forgive  myself. 
No,  it  is  better  for  you  to  take  care  of  it.  I  will  advise 


216  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

you  all  I  can,  but  cannot  take  the  responsibility  of 
protecting  your  property." 

Mrs.  Maroney  wrote  to  her  husband  and  asked  his 
advice.  She  informed  him  that  she  had  followed  Madam 
Imbert  and  had  discovered  her  exchanging  money,  thus 
proving  that  she  was  telling  the  truth ;  and  now  she  knew 
she  could  trust  her.  She  spoke  of  the  Madam's  refusal  to 
take  charge  of  the  money,  but  said  she  had  agreed  to  get 
it  exchanged,  and  asked  him  what  she  had  better  do. 

Maroney  talked  the  affair  over  with  White,  and  asked 
his  opinion  as  to  the  best  course  to  pursue.  "  She  may 
do  very  well,"  said  he,  "  but  I  don't  know  as  I  would 
trust  her.  You  never  saw  her.  She  may  be  a  first-rate 
woman,  or  she  may  be  the  opposite.  If  I  were  in  your  place 
I  should  wish  to  see  her  before  I  trusted  her.  It  would  be 
well  to  have  your  wife  bring  her  to  the  jail  to  see  you. 
Some  women  are  smart,  and  she  may  be.  As  a  general 
thing  women  are  very  good  as  playthings,  but  trusting 
them  is  an  entirely  different  matter." 

Maroney  carefully  considered  the  matter,  and  finally 
wrote  to  his  wife,  directing  her  to  induce  Madam  Imbert 
to  accompany  her  to  Eldridge  street  jail,  as  he  wanted 
to  see  her  and  judge  of  her  character  before  trusting  her 
too  far. 

On  receipt  of  this  letter,  Mrs.  Maroney  called  on 
Madam  Imbert,  said  she  was  going  to  New  York  to  see 
her  husband,  and  asked  the  Madam  to  accompany  her. 
She  said  they  would  have  a  pleasant  trip,  and  return  home 
the  same  evening. 

De  Forest  came  up  at  this  moment,  and  interrupted  the 
conversation. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    217 

"  Good  morning,  ladies,"  said  he  gaily,  "  I  have  come 
to  ask  you  to  take  a  fish-dinner  with  me  at  Manayunk." 

Madam  Imbert  declined  the  invitation,  but  Mrs.  Ma- 
roney  concluded  to  go,  and  started  off  with  the  happy  De 
Forest.  Madam  Imbert  returned  to  Stemples's,  hired  his 
team,  and  drove  into  the  city.  She  reported  to  me,  and 
asked  for  instructions  about  going  to  New  York  with  Mrs. 
Maroney.  I  told  her  to  go;  gave  her  full  instructions, 
and  then  had  an  interview  with  the  Vice-President.  I 
told  him  that  all  was  working  well,  and  received  his  con 
gratulations.  Everything  seemed  auspicious,  and  pointed 
to  speedy  success.  It  was  true  that  a  good  deal  of  money 
was  being  spent,  but  there  was  no  other  way  to  carry 
the  matter  to  a  successful  termination. 

Madam  Imbert  returned  to  Jenkintown  in  time  for 
supper,  and,  after  a  hearty  meal,  called  at  Cox's.  She 
found  no  one  at  home  but  Mrs.  Cox  and  the  children. 
Mrs.  Cox  said  her  sister  had  not  returned  from  her  ride, 
and  she  feared  that  she  must  have  met  with  some  acci 
dent.  Madam  Imbert  conversed  with  her  until  between 
eight  and  nine,  when  Josh,  and  Rivers  came  in. 

Mrs.  Cox  said,  "Josh.,  Mrs.  Maroney  has  not  reached 
home  yet.  I  fear  she  has  met  with  some  accident." 

"Hasn't  she?  Well,  I'll  go  and  hunt  her  up.  Come 
along,  Rivers." 

"  Josh.,  you  good  for  nothing  fellow.  You  must  wait 
here ;  don't  you  know  you  should  not  leave  the  house 
unguarded  at  this  time  ?  " 

"  Oh  !"  thought  Madam  Imbert,  "  danger  in  leaving  the 
house,  eh  !  So  there  are  two  more  in  the  secret, — Josh, 
and  his  wife  !  " 


218  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

Josh,  said  he  would  only  step  down  the  road,  and 
would  soon  return. 

Nine  o'clock  came,  but  no  Mrs.  Maroneyor  De  Forest. 
Madam  Imbert  did  not  know  what  to  make  of  it,  and 
began  to  think  something  unusual  was  under  way.  She 
arose  to  leave,  but  Mrs.  Cox  said  :  "  Please  don't  leave  me 
alone.  Josh,  will  soon  be  back.  Won't  you  stay  down 
and  watch  the  house,  while  I  put  the  children  to  bed? 
Flora  is  asleep,  and  I  am  lonesome.  I  do  wish  that  shift 
less  fellow  would  come  home." 

"  I  am  very  tired,"  remarked  Madam  Imbert,  preparing 
to  leave,  "  and  am  afraid  the  tavern  will  be  closed,  as  it  is 
getting  late  ;  but  I  will  see  if  I  can  find  Josh.,  and  send 
him  home." 

"  If  you  don't  find  him,  please  come  back,"  pleaded 
Mrs.  Cox. 

"  Well,  I'll  do  that,"  said  she,  going  out.  She  walked 
to  Stemples's,  and  without  going  into  the  bar-room,  where 
she  knew  she  would  find  Josh.,  went  to  her  room  and 
instructed  Miss  Johnson  to  find  Rivers  and  tell  him  to 
keep  Josh,  for  an  hour.  She  then  returned  to  Cox's. 

Miss  Johnson  found  that  Rivers  was  with  Josh.,  Bar 
clay  and  Horton,  in  the  bar-room.  She  walked  by  the 
door,  and,  unobserved  by  the  others,  gave  Rivers  a  signal, 
to  come  out.  He  slipped  out,  and  as  he  passed  her  she 
said  :  "  Rivers,  keep  Cox  for  an  hour,"  and  in  a  second 
he  was  back  calling  for  more  drinks,  and  getting  off  jokes 
which  brought  down  roars  of  laughter. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

MRS.  COX  was  very  much  pleased  when  Madam 
Imbert  returned,  and  started  up  stairs  to  put  the 
children  to  bed.  There  was  not  a  moment  to  lose.  As 
soon  as  they  left  the  room  Madam  Imbert  rushed  to  the 
outer  door  and  listened.  She  was  satisfied.  No  one  was 
coming,  and  so,  grasping  a  lamp,  she  went  down  into  the 
cellar.  Her  quick  eye  took  in  every  thing  at  a  glance,  but 
she  could  discover  nothing  out  of  the  way.  The  floor 
was  a  common  earthen  one,  but  no  signs  of  recent  dig 
ging  were  to  be  seen.  She  pitched  in,  and  for  a  few 
moments  worked  like  a  Trojan  ;  she  removed  and  replaced 
all  the  barrels,  crocks,  dishes,  everything  under  which 
articles  might  possibly  be  concealed,  but  found  nothing 
She  again  searched  carefully  over  the  floor,  and  in  the 
centre  of  the  cellar  saw  slight  signs  of  where  the  ground 
might  have  been  lately  dug  up,  and  the  soil  carefully 
replaced.  She  knelt  down  to  examine  it  more  carefully, 
when  she  heard  the  rumbling  of  wheels.  She  sprang  to 
her  feet  and  rushed  up  stairs.  She  was  none  too  soon, 
as  she  was  hardly  seated  before  Mrs.  Maroney  came  in. 
She  was  greatly  surprised  to  see  Madam  Imbert,  and 
exclaimed  :  "  What  !  you  here  ?  It  is  rather  late  for  you 
to  be  out,  is  it  not  ?  "  Madam  Imbert  saw  at  once  that 
she  was  slightly  intoxicated.  She  replied  : 


220  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

"  Yes  indeed  it  is  !  I  found  your  sister  all  alone,  and 
she  begged  me  to  stay  until  she  got  the  children  in  bed." 

Mrs.  Cox  came  in  at  this  moment,  looking  very  angry. 
"Where  have  you  been  all  this  time?  You  ought  to  know 
better  than  to  leave  me  all  alone.  Josh,  has  gone  out 
with  Rivers,  and  I  believe  they  must  be  drinking.  I 
am  angry  with  Rivers.  Josh,  is  getting  to  drink  more 
than  ever  since  he  came  here.  It  is  too  bad  in  you  to 
stay  away  so  long  !  I  had  to  beg  Madam  Imbert  to  stay 
with  me,  and  Flora  has  just  gone  to  bed  crying  for  her 
ma  !  " 

"  Madam  Imbert,  I  am  very  sorry  I  have  been  the  cause 
of  your  late  stay,"  said  Mrs.  Maroney.  Then,  pointing 
to  some  dirt  on  the  Madam's  dress  —  which  had  come 
from  the  cellar  —  she  exclaimed:  "What's  that  on  your 
dress? " 

Madam  Imbert  looked  carelessly  at  it,  and  said  :  "  Why, 
I  thought  I  had  brushed  that  all  off!  When  I  was  out 
looking  for  Josh.  I  stumbled  and  gave  my  knee  a  terrible 
wrench."  Then  glancing  at  the  clock,  she  said:  "Why, 
how  late  it  is  !  Miss  Johnson  will  think  that  I  am  lost. 
Good  night !  " 

"  No,  don't  go  yet;  have  a  little  brandy?  It  will  do 
you  good,  as  the  air  is  quite  chilling.  Do  you  know  that 
De  Forest  is  a  very  fine  fellow?  I  have  a  much  higher 
opinion  of  him  than  ever  before."  She  got  the  brandy 
and  partially  filled  a  tumbler  with  it.  Madam  Imbert 
just  touched  the  liquor  with  her  lips,  and  then  passed  it 
back  to  Mrs.  Maroney,  who  drained  the  glass  at  a  single 
draught. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    221 

"You  are  doing  wrong,"  remarked  the  Madam;  "you 
should  remember  your  promise  to  your  husband." 

"  Well,  I  shall  not  be  going  to-morrow.  I  shall  suffer 
for  this  by  having  a  severe  head- ache.  Was  any  one  with 
you,  down  here,  while  sister  was  putting  the  children  to 
bed?"  asked  Mrs.  Maroney,  looking  full  into  Madam 
Imbert's  face,  but  she  saw  nothing  suspicious  there. 
"No,"  answered  Madam  Imbert,  as  innocently  as  a  lamb. 

The  two  ladies  walked  out  of  the  house  together,  and 
Mrs.  Maroney  accompanied  the  Madam  a  short  distance 
up  the  street,  when  they  met  Josh,  and  Rivers.  Mrs. 
Maroney  went  home  with  Josh.,  and  Madam  Imbert  told 
Rivers  to  keep  watch  on  Cox's  house,  as  something  was 
in  the  wind.  Rivers  informed  her  she  would  have  to 
hurry  back  to  the  town,  as  Stemples  would  soon  close  up 
for  the  night.  Rivers  passed  slowly  around  the  house. 
He  knew  that  Josh,  had  taken  enough  to  make  him  sleep 
well,  and  that  Mrs.  Maroney  was  in  about  the  same  con 
dition,  so  that  Mrs.  Cox  was  the  only  one  he  had  to  fear. 
After  a  while  he  crawled  close  up  to  the  cellar  window. 
He  heard  an  animated  conversation  going  on  inside,  but 
could  not  distinguish  the  words.  Some  one  closed  a  door 
with  a  bang,  and  all  sound  ceased.  He  looked  up  and 
noticed  a  light  pouring  through  a  narrow  window,  which 
he  knew  lighted  a  closet  opening  off  from  the  sitting-room. 
He  climbed  up  to  it  and  saw,  what  was  to  him  at  least,  an 
amusing  scene.  Josh.,  his  wife,  and  Mrs.  Maroney,  were 
seated  in  the  room.  Mrs.  Maroney  looked  as  though  in 
a  violent  passion,  and  plainly  showed  that  she  had  been 
drinking.  Josh,  was  making  desperate  efforts  to  look  and 
act  perfectly  sober,  but  in  spite  of  his  efforts  he  would 


222  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

occasionally  give  a  loud  hiccough,  while  Mrs.  Cox  sat  bolt 
upright  in  her  chair,  looking  in  sober  disgust  on  both  of 
them.  Rivers,  in  his  new  position,  could  see  and  hear  all 
that  was  going  on.  Mrs.  Maroney  was  talking  in  an 
excited  manner. 

"What  brought  that  Madam  Imbert  here  to-night?  I 
am  suspicious  of  that  woman.  She  is  very  smart,  and  I 
saw  dirt  on  her  dress.  It  seems  plain  to  me  that  she  has 
been  in  the  cellar,  and  down  on  her  knees.  What  made 
you  go  up  stairs  and  leave  her  here  all  alone  ?" 

"  You  have  confidence  in  her,  but  you  have  been  drink 
ing,  and  that  makes  you  suspicious,"  replied  Mrs.  Cox. 

"  How  dare  you  talk  to  me  in  this  way  ?"  yelled  Mrs. 
Maroney.  "  I  know  my  business  !  You  know  why  I  am 
living  here,  and  supporting  you  and  your  worthless,  good 
for  nothing  vagabond  of  a  husband.  He  could  never  earn 
a  living  for  himself,  to  say  nothing  of  taking  care  of  a 
family.  All  I  want  you  to  do  is  to  obey  me  and  keep 
your  mouths  shut,  and  I  will  pay  you  well  for  it;  Josh,  is 
always  drunk  and  blabbing  about." 

Josh,  attempted  to  say  something. 

"  Hold  your  tongue,  you  fool !  you  are  so  drunk  now 
you  don't  know  what  you  are  doing  !" 

"Why,"  said  Cox,  "  I  did  take  a  drop  too  much,  but  I 
don't  believe  I  have  taken  half  so  much  as  you  !" 

In  a  second  Mrs.  Maroney  grasped  a  pitcher  and 
smashed  it  over  Josh.'s  skull !  Mrs.  Cox  sprang  to  assist 
her  husband.  For  a  moment  there  was  a  lively  time,  and 
the  prospects  were  good  for  a  regular  scene,  but  quiet 
was  soon  restored,  and  Josh.,  muttering,  went  off  to  bed. 

"  I  must   go    into    the    cellar   the    first    thing    in    the 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.    223 

morning,"  said  Mrs.  Maroney.  "  Don't  look  at  me  in 
that  way;  my  faculties  are  all  clear.  No  one  must  go  into 
it  until  I  come  down,  as  I  want  it  to  remain  just  as  it  is. 
I  am  suspicious  of  that  Madam  Imbert.  There  was  no 
necessity  of  her  being  here  so  late,  or  of  your  leaving 
her  alone,  you  fool !  Be  sure,  now,  not  to  let  any  one  go 
down!"  Mrs.  Maroney  then  took  a  lamp  and  started  for 
her  room.  Rivers  listened  for  some  time,  and  finding  all 
quiet,  went  up  to  Stemples's. 

He  saw  a  light  in  Madam  Imbert's  room,  and  after 
listening  around,  and  finding  no  one  stirring,  he  went 
quietly  under  her  window  and  threw  some  dirt  against 
the  panes.  The  light  in  the  room  was  instantly  turned 
down.  Soon  afterward,  the  window  was  noiselessly  raised, 
and  Madam  Imbert  poked  her  head  out.  "  Who's  there  ?  " 
she  asked,  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Rivers,"  he  replied  ;  "  like  to  see  you  ;  important." 

"  Wait,"  said  she ;  "  I  will  be  with  you  at  the  front  door 
directly." 

She  was  acquainted  with  all  the  modes  of  egress,  and 
threading  her  way  through  the  darkness,  soon  stood  with 
Rivers  in  front  of  the  house.  He  reported  all  that  had 
taken  place. 

Madam  Imbert  said  :  "  I  think  it  is  all  right,  but  still  I 
may  be  mistaken,  and  we  must  be  sure.  Can't  you  find 
some  way  to  get  into  the  cellar  ?  There  is  a  small  win 
dow,  about  two  feet  by  thirteen  inches,  which  you  might 
remove,  and  gain  access  in  that  way.  It  will  be  light  at 
four  o'clock  ;  it  is  now  t\velve,  and  every  one  at  Cox's 
will  be  sound  asleep  at  that  time.  You  can  then  slip  in, 


224  PIA'KERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

and  if  I  have  disarranged  anything,  put  it  to  rights.     Be 
sure  not  to  get  caught ! 

"  I  will  certainly  do  it,"  said  Rivers,  as  he  started  to 
return  to  Cox's. 

During  his  absence  some  one  had  set  loose  a  dog  that 
Cox  owned.  It  was  a  miserable  cur,  but  was  long-winded, 
like  its  master,  and  possessed  of  good  barking  qualities. 
Rivers  got  well  concealed,  but  the  dog  was  after  him  — 
bark,  bark,  bark ;  he  tried  all  he  could  to  quiet  him,  but 
could  not.  Soon  a  neighboring  dog  commenced  to  howl ; 
then  another,  and  another,  until  all  the  dogs  in  the  village 
had  joined  in  a  grand  chorus.  He  did  not  know  what  to 
do.  He  was  concealed  by  the  side  of  a  fence,  but  did 
not  dare  strike  the  dog,  which  kept  a  few  paces  from  him, 
barking  incessantly.  Mrs.  Maroney  heard  the  noise,  and 
opening  her  window,  said ;  "  Sic,  sic  ;  good  fellow,  sic." 

Rivers  jumped  up  and  got  the  dog  to  follow  him  until 
he  reached  a  field  some  distance  from  the  house,  when, 
with  a  well-directed  throw  he  stunned  him  with  a  large 
stone,  and  soon  stamped  all  life  out  of  him.  He  then 
took  the  "  melancholy  remains,"  placed  them  at  Barclay's 
door,  and  returned  to  Cox's,  where  he  found  all  quiet. 
He  returned  to  his  old  position  and  remained  until  day 
began  to  dawn. 

At  dawn  he  crawled  to  the  window,  easily  removed  it, 
and  slipped  into  the  cellar.  He  -examined  everything 
carefully,  found  some  marks  on  the  floor  where  barrels 
had  been  removed,  and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  had 
obliterated  all  traces  of  Madam  Imbert's  operations.  He 
then  crawled  out,  replaced  the  window,  and  quietly 
returned  to  his  boarding-house.  He  had  made  arrange- 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   225 

merits  by  which  he  could  always  let  himself  in  or  out  at 
any  hour  of  the  night.  The  family  he  boarded  with 
thought  he  was  somewhat  of  a  "  rake,"  but  as  he  always 
paid  his  bills  promptly,  liked  him  for  a  boarder. 

In  the  morning  Madam  Imbert  was  on  the  lookout,  and 
between  nine  and  ten  Rivers  came  along.  He  reported 
that  he  had  replaced  everything  in  the  cellar,  and  de 
scribed  how  he  had  killed  Josh.'s  dog  and  left  his  remains 
at  Barclay's. 

Madam  Imbert  strolled  down  to  Cox's,  and  met  Mrs. 
Maroney  at  the  door.  She  was  more  polite  than  usual, 
having  made  an  examination  of  the  cellar  and  found  her 
suspicions  baseless.  Soon  Josh,  and  Rivers  made  their 
appearance.  Rivers  remarked  that  he  had  heard  a  strange 
dog  barking  the  night  before,  and  got  up  to  find  out  what 
was  going  on,  but  could  discover  nothing. 

"Yes,"  said  Mrs.  Maroney,  "that  was  Josh.'s  dog.  A 
man  was  lurking  around  here  before  I  went  to  bed,  so  I 
let  the  dog  out.  In  a  short  time  I  heard  it  after  some 
one,  and  opened  my  window  and  set  it  on.  You  see, 
Josh.,  how  necessary  it  is  for  you  to  keep  sober.  If  you 
had  been  up  you  might  have  shot  that  scoundrel.  This 
morning  I  saw  his  footprints  distinctly  impressed  in  the 
walks." 

"  Well,"  said  Josh.,  "  if  my  dog  got  hold  of  him,  he 
made  a  hole  in  his  leg,  I'll  bet.  I  know  he  is  a  good  dog." 

"Yes,  I  think  he  is,"  said  Rivers,  as  he  and  Josh, 
strolled  over  toward  Barclay's. 

Barclay  met  them  on  the  way.  "Josh.,"  says  he,  "that 
dog  of  mine  is  a  splendid  animal,  by  George !  You  ought 
to  have  heard  him  bark  last  night.  A  strange  dog  came 


226  PINKERTOX'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

around  my  place;  my  dog  tackled  him,  and  'oh,  Moses,' 
ho\v  theyyf//  It  ended  by  my  dog's  killing  his  antag 
onist.  Come  and  see  how  he  chawed  him  up  !  " 

He  led  the  way  to  where  the  dead  carcass  lay.  As 
soon  as  they  came  in  sight  of  it  Josh,  dashed  forward, 
and  raising  the  dead  animal  by  its  caudal  appendage, 
angrily  exclaimed  :  "  That's  my  dog!  You  must  be  the 
man  who  was  lurking  around  my  house  last  night !  You 
had  better  go  down  and  explain  to  Mrs.  Maroney  what 
you  were  doing  around  there." 

"  What  do  you  suppose  I  could  be  doing  at  your 
house?  "  asked  Barclay,  much  perplexed.  "Why,  I  was 
not  out  of  my  house  once  last  night." 

"  I  tell  you,"  said  Josh.,  "  Mrs.  Maroney  will  walk  into 
you  when  she  finds  this  out.  You  ought  to  have  seen  her 
last  night.  She  smashed  a  pitcher  over  my  head,  and  I 
believe  she  would  have  killed  me,  if  my  wife  had  not 
pitched  into  her.  Of  course  I  could  not  strike  back,  as 
she  is  a  woman." 

Rivers  invited  them  up  to  Stemples's,  and  in  less  than 
an  hour  Cox  and  he  had  impressed  upon  Barclay  the 
necessity  of  his  seeing  Mrs.  Maroney  and  explaining  to 
her  that  he  had  not  been  lurking  around  the  night  before. 

They  started  off  together,  and  arrived  at  Josh.'s  resi 
dence  just  as  Madam  Imbert  and  Mrs.  Maroney  were 
coming  out.  Barclay  immediately  went  up  to  her  and 
assured  her  that  he  had  not  been  loafing  around  the  night 
before. 

"Who  said  you  had?  "  said  Mrs.  Maroney,  now  fully 
convinced  that  it  was  he.  "Who  said  you  had?"  and 
she  opened  upon  him  with  a  perfect  tirade  of  abuse. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   227 

Madam  Imbert  took  her  by  the  arm  and  drew  her  to 
one  side.  "Mrs.  Maroney,  don't  take  any  notice  of  that 
man.  He  is  a  fool,  and  your  best  plan  is  to  let  him 
severely  alone.  Some  people  may  be  wiser  than  others, 
and  will  begin  to  suspect  that  something  is  wrong  if  you 
go  on  so.  You  know  the  old  saying :  '  Walls  have  ears  ?  ' ' 

"  You  are  right,  you  seem  to  be  always  right,"  said 
Mrs.  Maroney,  and  she  let  the  matter  drop. 


CHAPTER   XXV. 

THE  two  women  left  Barclay  perfectly  dumbfounded 
and  walked  over  to  the  garden.  Mrs.  Maroney  said 
she  was  going  to  New  York  in  the  morning  to  see  her 
husband,  and  begged  the  Madam  to  accompany  her. 
Madam  Imbert  agreed  to  go,  saying  that  she  had  some 
purchases  to  make.  They  concluded  to  hire  Stemples's 
team  in  the  morning  and  drive  into  Philadelphia,  put  it 
up  at  some  livery  stable,  go  to  New  York,  visit  Maroney, 
return  to  Philadelphia,  and  drive  home  in  the  evening. 

Nothing  of  importance  took  place  the  day  they  visited 
New  York.  Green  knew  of  their  intended  trip  and 
"  shadowed  "  them  to  New  York  and  back.  All  he  had 
to  report  was  that  nothing  had  transpired  worthy  of  men 
tion.  It  is  quite  as  important  to  find  that  nothing  takes 
place  as  to  note  what  actually  occurs,  for  thus  the  case  is 
cleared  of  all  uncertainty.  The  "  shadow "  reports 
truthfully  of  all  things  just  as  he  finds  them. 

The  women,  on  their  arrival  in  New  York,  went  directly 
to  Eldridge  street  jail  and  Mrs.  Maroney  introduced 
Madam  Imbert  to  her  husband.  She  then  had  a  long 
private  conversation  with  him  and  afterwards  re-joined 
Madam  Imbert.  The  three  had  a  pleasant  chat,  Ma 
roney  acting  in  all  respects  the  part  of  a  perfect  gentle 
man.  His  face  showed  deep  anxiety,  but  he  talked  very 
cheerfully  and  told  Madam  Imbert  that  he  hoped  soon  to 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.    229 

have  the  pleasure  of  meeting  her  at  Jenkintown.  He 
assured  her  that  he  would  soon  be  free  and  would  then 
take  vengeance  on  his  enemies. 

He  said  he  intended  to  go  to  Texas  and  buy  a  ranche. 
The  Rio  Grande  country  just  suited  him,  and  he  expa 
tiated  at  length  on  the  beauty  of  the  country  and  the 
salubrity  of  its  climate. 

After  a  few  hours  passed  in  social  converse  they  parted, 
Mrs.  Maroney  went  to  visit  a  friend  on  Thirty-first  street 
and  Madam  Imbert  to  do  her  shopping.  They  agreed  to 
meet  at  the  Jersey  City  ferry  at  four  o'clock. 

Green  followed  Mrs.  Maroney.  She  visited  her  friend, 
stopped  some  time  and  then  met  Madam  Imbert  at  the 
appointed  place  and  time. 

On  the  road  to  Philadelphia  Mrs.  Maroney  spoke  of  her 
husband  and  said  he  was  very  much  pleased  with  the 
Madam,  and  thought  her  a  very  fine-looking,  intelligent 
woman,  in  fact  just  the  person  to  help  them;  but  he  was 
about  to  carry  out  a  plan  which  he  knew  would  be  suc 
cessful.  White  was  soon  going  to  be  released  on  bail  and 
would  then  arrange  everything  for  him.  In  the  mean 
time,  she  was  to  wait  quietly  and  do  nothing,  as  he  would 
shortly  be  with  her. 

On  getting  into  Philadelphia  they  ordered  their  team 
and  drove  out  to  Jenkintown.  The  same  day  White 
came  to  Maroney  and  said  : 

"  Congratulate  me,  old  fellow.  Shanks  has  just  brought 
me  some  letters  from  my  attorneys  and  I  find  that  all  has 
gone  well.  My  affairs  are  in  a  much  better  condition,  and 
now,  after  a  long  and  irksome  confinement,  I  am  about 


230  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

to  be  liberated  on  bail.     In  two  or  three  days,  or  by  the 
end  of  this  week,  at  farthest,  I  shall  be  at  liberty." 

"I  am  delighted  to  hear  of  your  good  fortune,"  an 
swered  Maroney  in  a  hearty  tone.  "  You  must  not  forget 
me  when  you  are  out,  but  as  soon  as  you  can  arrange 
your  own  affairs,  turn  your  attention  to  mine.  I  am 
anxious  to  see  the  plan  to  entrap  Chase  at  once  set  in 
operation.  Won't  it  be  a  good  joke  when  McGibony 
nabs  him  and  finds  the  money  on  his  person  ?  Ha  !  ha  ! 
ha !  what  will  the  Adams  Express  say  then  ?  They  will 
feel  rather  sore  over  their  pet,  I  reckon." 

He  laughed  over  the  idea  for  some  time,  while  a  fiend 
ish  expression  of  joy  settled  on  his  face. 

"I'll  attend  to  it  as  soon  as  possible,"  said  White; 
"but  you  see  I  have  no  money  of  my  own  that  I  can  use 
at  the  present  time.  I  would  gladly  advance  you  the 
necessary  amount  if  I  could,  but  all  my  available  cash 
will  have  to  go  as  security  to  my  bondsmen.  I  believe 
you  a  thorough  good  fellow,  and  will  cheerfully  do  all  in 
my  power  for  you." 

"I  don't  wish  you  to  advance  the  money  for  me.  I 
know  you  would  if  you  could ;  but  you  and  I  are  about 
in  the  same  fix.  We  have  plenty  of  funds,  but  can't  use 
them  at  present.  I  believe  I  shall  be  able  to  raise  the 
money  in  some  way  before  long.  If  the  job  works  well 
with  Chase  I  shall  be  completely  vindicated.  Another 
thing,  the  suit  against  me  will  soon  come  up,  and  my 
counsel  says  that  I  am  sure  to  win  it.  I  shall  be  the  only 
witness  on  the  part  of  the  defendant  and  shall  have  to 
swear  that  I  never  took  any  of  the  money.  This  will  be 
the  truth,  as  a  cent  of  money  never  came  wrongfully  into 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.   231 

my  possession.  It  is  a  good  thing  they  did  not  know  I 
had  an  interest  in  the  livery  stable,  or  they  would  surely 
have  seized  that." 

"I  have  a  good  lawyer,"  said  White,  "he  has  carried 
me  through  successfully,  and  as  soon  as  possible  after  I 
get  out  I  will  help  you." 

The  next  day  Bangs  disguised  himself  and  called  at  the 
jail  as  White's  counsel.  He  had  a  long  talk  with  him  in 
his  cell  and  then  walked  briskly  out  in  the  manner  of  a 
lawyer  with  a  large  practice,  whose  moments  are  precious; 
but  lawyers  have  one  object,  while  he  had  another.  Bangs 
wished  to  avoid  the  scrutiny  of  the  prisoners,  as  there 
might  be  some  of  them  who  knew  him. 

White  came  smilingly  up  to  Maroney  after  Bangs  left 
and  said  : 

"  My  case  is  surely  arranged,  and  I  am  off  to-morrow." 

"  Are  you,  indeed  ?  "  exclaimed  Maroney.  "  I  am 
delighted  to  hear  it ;  "  but  his  voice  sank.  It  seemed  as 
if  he  wanted  White  out,  so  that  he  could  help  him,  but 
was  afraid  to  trust  him.  He  turned  and  walked  away, 
came  back,  and  again  congratulated  White.  White  assured 
him  that  he  was  going  in  the  morning.  "So  soon?" 
remarked  Maroney ;  "  well,  I  am  happy  to  find  you  are. 
I  don't  want  to  see  any  man  kept  in  jail.  My  own  case 
will  soon  come  up,  and  after  I  am  cleared  here,  the  trial 
in  Montgomery  will  be  a  perfect  farce.  I  shall  write  to 
my  wife  and  tell  her  how  well  you  have  succeeded.  Isn't 
it  strange,  White,  that  I  have  taken  such  a  liking  to  you? 
You  are  the  right  man  for  me.  There  is  not  a  soul  in 
this  jail  but  you  whom  I  would  trust."  He  walked  into 
his  cell  and  wrote  a  letter  to  his  wife.  Several  times  he 


232  PIATKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

came  out  and  conversed  with  White.  He  seemed  to  have 
something  on  his  mind  which  he  wished  to  disclose,  but 
lacked  the  courage  to  do  so.  He  finally  backed  down 
entirely,  and  concluded  to  wait.  He  played  several 
games  of  cards  with  White  and  the  other  prisoners,  and 
then  conversed  with  Shanks,  who  came  to  remove  some 
of  White's  baggage.  He  found  that  White  had  taken  a 
room  on  Bleeker  street,  and  the  moving  of  his  effects 
showed  how  near  at  hand  was  the  moment  of  his 
departure. 

The  next  day  was  an  eventful  one,  and  clearly  proved 
the  soundness  of  my  theory.  After  breakfast  Maroney 
took  White's  arm,  and  walked  around  the  hall  several 
times  with  him,  his  manner  plainly  showing  that  he  was 
very  much  embarrassed.  He  finally  drew  him  into  a 
quiet  corner  opposite  to  where  the  prisoners  were  congre 
gated  playing  cards  and  amusing  themselves  in  various 
ways.  "White,"  said  Maroney,  "I  am  going  to  entrust 
to  you  my  secret.  I  feel  that  I  can  trust  you ;  I  know  I 
can.  I  have  watched  you  closely,  and  find  that  you  are 
true  as  steel.  Now  listen  :  I  have  invited  you  to  take 
hold  of  my  matters,  and  in  order  to  give  you  a  clear 
understanding  of  my  case,  it  becomes  necessary  foi  me  to 
divulge  to  you  what  at  present  is  known  only  to  my  wife 
and  myself.  It  is  useless  for  me  to  ask,  but  still  I  wish 
you  to  give  me  your  solemn  promise  to  keep  my  secret 
inviolate." 

"Oh,  yes,  I'll  do  that,"  said  White,  "but  I  have  got  a 
good  deal  of  business  of  my  own  to  attend  to,  and  if  you 
think  you  can't  trust  me,  you  had  better  keep  it  to 
yourself." 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.     233 

"  No,  no,  nothing  of  the  kind  !  I  know  I  can  trust 
you  !  "  said  Maroney,  "  and  you  have  given  the  promise. 
Now,  White,  who  do  you  think  stole  the  fifty  thousand 
dollars  ?  " 

''  I  am  sure  I  don't  know,"  replied  White. 

"  Well,  I  did  !  I  stole  it  from  the  company,  and  have 
been  able  to  keep  it  so  far.  If  you  will  assist  me,  I  shall 
continue  to  do  so.  Would  you  have  stolen  it  if  you  had 
been  in  my  place  ?  " 

"  Certainly,"  exclaimed  White  ;  "  do  you  think  I  am  a 
fool  ?  I  shall  make  a  big  pile  in  my  operation." 

"  Then,"  said  Maroney,  "  if  we  only  join  our  forces, 
we  shall  make  some  one  howl." 

Neither  spoke  for  some  minutes.  White  acted  as 
if  the  matter  was  a  common,  every-day  occurrence ;  but 
he  thought  :  "  He  has  broken  the  ice ;  I  shall  soon  hear 
it  all." 

Maroney  was  the  first  to  break  the  silence.  He  said : 
"I  first  stole  ten  thousand  dollars,  which  was  brought  to 
my  office  on  Sunday,  by  the  messenger  from  Atlanta. 
This  package  was  intended  for  a  party  in  Columbus, 
Ga.  It  had  been  missent,  and  forwarded  by  mistake  to 
Atlanta,  instead  of  to  Macon,  and  from  Atlanta  to  me  in 
Montgomery.  My  duty  was,  on  receipt  of  the  package, 
to  immediately  telegraph  to  Atlanta  of  its  arrival,  and  to 
send  it  off  by  the  train  that  left  that  evening  for  Colum 
bus.  I  had  no  right  to  the  package,  and  should  have 
immediately  re-billed  it  and  sent  it  off.  I  was  certain 
that  no  one  knew  that  it  had  been  missent.  It  had  evi 
dently  found  its  way  into  the  pouch  through  a  mistake,  as 
it  was  not  marked  on  the  way-bill,  or  its  presence  known 


234  PINKERTOWS  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

to  the  messenger.  I  never  thought  I  should  be  guilty 
of  theft  till  the  time  ;  but  the  moment  I  saw  the  pack 
age  it  flashed  into  my  mind  that  if  I  took  it  I  would 
never  be  detected.  The  temptation  was  too  strong  to 
be  withstood.  I  yielded  to  it,  and  without  any  one's 
seeing  me,  dropped  the  package  under  the  counter.  The 
messenger  did  not  see  it,  and  as  his  way-bill  checked  up 
all  right,  soon  left  the  office.  I  watched  my  chance  and 
put  the  packet  of  money  into  my  coat-pocket  and  went 
home. 

u  You  see,  White,  that  was  my  first  offense,  and  I  felt 
rather  frightened.  I  felt  sorry  that  I  had  yielded  to  the 
temptation,  but  could  not  part  with  the  money,  it  seemed 
so  completely  to  have  infatuated  me.  I  took  it  home  and 
hid  it,  but  did  not  tell  my  wife  a  word  about  it.  In  a 
short  time  despatches  were  sent  all  around  to  the  different 
agents  to  find,  if  possible,  where  the  package  was.  I 
received  several  of  them,  but  reported  that  I  had  not 
seen  or  heard  anything  of  it.  I  was  so  assured  of  the  im 
possibility  of  my  detection  that  I  had  lost  all  the  fears 
that  at  first  assailed  me,  and  was  as  cool  as  a  cucumber. 

"  The  General  Superintendent  came  around  with  sev 
eral  detectives,  but  they  could  not  find  the  money.  1 
was  tried  in  many  ways,  but  I  never  flinched,  and  they 
finally  had  to  give  the  matter  up. 

"  In  a  short  time  I  asked  for  leave  of  absence  to  make 
a  visit  to  the  North.  It  was  granted  me,  and  I  started 
off,  with  the  ten  thousand  dollars  in  my  possession.  I  soon 
found  that  I  was  followed  by  a  detective,  and  I  led  him  a 
wild-goose  chase  until  I  reached  Richmond,  Va.,  where  I 
gave  him  the  slip,  and  he  never  knew  where  I  went.  I 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    235 

did  the  same  in  the  forty-thousand-dollar  case.     I   gave 
them  all  the  slip  at  Chattanooga." 

"  No  matter  about  that,"  said  White  ;  if  you  are  going 
to  give  me  a  statement,  give  me  a  clear  one,  and  not 
jumble  everything  together." 

"  Well,  I  gave  the  detective  the  slip  at  Richmond,  and 
went  to  Winnsboro,  S.  C.  There  I  passed  myself  off  as 
a  cotton  buyer,  but  had  great  difficulty  in  making  a  pur 
chase,  as  Robert  Agnevv,  a  prominent  cotton-broker,  held 
all  the  cotton  in  the  neighborhood,  and  did  not  care  to 
sell  as  he  expected  a  rise  in  price  every  day.  After  some 
dickering  I  induced  him  to  sell  me  seven  thousand  five 
hundred  dollars'  worth,  which  I  paid  for  with  the  stolen 
funds  of  the  company. 

"  I  had  the  cotton  shipped  to  R.  G.  Barnard,  Charleston, 
S.  C.,  to  be  sold,  proceeds  to  be  remitted  to  me,  in  Mont 
gomery.  The  cotton  was  sold  and  the  amount  forwarded 
to  me  in  two  drafts  on  New  York,  one  of  which  I  had 
cashed  in  that  city,  and  the  other  in  Montgomery.  I  lost 
quite  a  sum  by  my  speculation,  as  cotton  did  not  rise,  but 
fell.  I  was  perfectly  contented  to  stand  the  loss,  as  the 
stolen  money  was  exchanged.  I  bought  "  Yankee  Mary" 
with  the  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  remaining,  and 
returned  to  Montgomery,  after  having  successfully  dis 
posed  of  all  the  stolen  money. 

"  On  my  return  I  found  everything  quiet,  and  went  on 
with  my  duties  as  usual ;  but  one  day  the  Superintendent 
came  to  me  and  said  the  company  had  concluded  to 
change  agents,  and  that  I  had  better  resign.  I  did  so  at 
once,  saying  that  I  was  just  about  going  into  business  on 
my  own  account.  I  must  say  that  when  I  met  the  Gen- 


236  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES, 

eral  Superintendent  I  did  not  like  his  looks,  as  he  seemed 
to  suspect  me.  He  made  many  enquiries  as  to  how  I  got 
my  money,  but  was  unable  to  ascertain  anything. 

"  The  Superintendent  of  the  Southern  Division  asked 
me  to  take  charge  of  the  office  until  my  successor  arrived, 
and  I  willingly  consented.  The  Superintendent  had 
much  suavity  of  manner,  and  it  was  hard  for  me  to  tell 
whether  he  considered  me  guilty  or  not.  1  rather  thought 
he  suspected  me.  When  I  found  that  my  time  with  the 
company  was  to  be  so  short  I  determined  to  make  a  good 
haul,  as  I  knew  I  could  never  get  a  situation  in  the  busi 
ness  again,  for  the  Adams  Express  was  the  only  express 
company  in  the  South.  I  began  to  look  around  to  see 
how  I  could  best  accomplish  my  purpose.  I  studied  the 
character  of  the  different  messengers,  and  thought  Chase 
the  best  man  to  operate  upon.  I  determined  to  wait  until 
I  had  a  good  heavy  run  out,  and  then  put  my  plan  in 
operation.  Chase  was  a  good,  clever  fellow,  but  careless. 
I  tried  him  in  several  ways,  and  found  that  he  could  be 
"  gulled  "  more  easily  than  any  of  the  other  messengers. 
I  could  not  do  anything  on  the  runs  in,  as  the  messengers 
checked  the  packages  over  to  me,  but  on  the  runs  out  I 
checked  over  to  them,  and,  with  a  careless  man  like 
Chase,  it  would  be  the  simplest  thing  in  the  world  to  call 
off  packages,  and,  as  he  checked  them  off,  for  me  to  drop 
them  behind  the  counter  instead  of  into  the  pouch." 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

ON  the  twenty-seventh  of  January  I  had  a  very  heavy 
run  in,  and  among  numerous  other  packages  were 
four  that  attracted  my  attention ;  one  for  Charleston, 
S.  C.,  for  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  and  three 
for  Augusta,  Geo.,  for  thirty  thousand,  five  thousand 
and  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  respectively. 
Chase  was  going  out  in  the  morning,  and  then  was  the 
time  to  act.  I  got  an  old  trunk  that  was  lying  in  the 
office,  and  packed  it  full  of  different  articles,  among 
other  things  four  boxes  of  cigars.  Early  in  the  morning 
I  was  up  and  down  at  the  office.  Chase  soon  came  in, 
drew  his  safe  over  to  the  counter,  and  began  to  check 
off  the  packages  marked  on  the  way-bill,  as  I  called 
them  off  and  placed  them  in  the  pouch.  If  he  had 
obeyed  the  rule  of  the  company  he  would  have  taken  each 
package  in  his  hand  and  placed  it  in  the  pouch,  but  he 
carelessly  allowed  me  to  call  off  the  amounts  and  place 
the  packages  in  the  pouch.  In  this  way,  as  he  stood  out 
side  of  the  counter,  I  was  enabled  to  call  off  all  the  pack 
ages  on  the  way-bill,  but  dropped  the  four  containing  the 
forty  thousand  dollars  under  the  counter  amongst  a  lot  of 
waste  paper  I  had  placed  there  for  the  purpose.  The 
way-bill  checked  off  all  right;  Chase  said  "  O.  K,"  so 
I  locked  the  pouch,  handed  it  to  him,  and  he  locked  it  up 


238  rfXA'EKTO.\"S  DETECTIVE  STOXIES, 

in  his  safe.  He  then  went  to  breakfast,  leaving  me  alone 
in  the  office.  I  immediately  picked  up  the  packages, 
distributed  their  contents  into  four  piles  of  equal  size, 
removed  the  cigars  from  the  boxes,  and  placed  a  pile  of 
money  in  each.  I  then  filled  the  space  above  the  money 
with  cigars,  nailed  down  the  lid  of  the  boxes,  placed  them 
in  the  trunk,  tied  it  up  and  directed  it  to  VV.  A.  Jackson, 
Galveston,  Texas.  There  was  a  wagon  loading  at  the 
door.  I  had  the  box  immediately  placed  on  it,  and  within 
an  hour  of  the  time  I  had  taken  the  money  it  was  on  its 
way  down  the  Alabama  river,  for  Mobile.  The  boat 
started  down  the  river  at  the  same  time  that  Chase  left 
for  Atlanta.  That  is  what  I  call  sharp  work.  No  one  but 
me  knew  of  the  loss  of  the  packages. 

"Chase  was  in  his  car,  perfectly  at  ease,  but  when  he 
reached  Atlanta  he  was  destined  to  receive  a  shock  he 
would  not  soon  forget.  As  soon  as  he  arrived  there  the 
loss  was  discovered,  and  the  Assistant  Superintendent  of 
the  Southern  Division,  who  happened  to  be  in  the  Atlanta 
office,  immediately  telegraphed  to  me  for  an  explanation. 
I  did  not  take  the  trouble  of  answering  the  despatch,  and 
he  came  on  to  Montgomery  that  night  to  investigate.  All 
I  had  to  say  was  that  I  had  checked  the  money  over  to 
Chase,  and  they  would  have  to  look  to  him  for  an  expla 
nation.  Telegrams  came  thick  and  fast,  but  I  was  nerved 
up  to  pass  through  anything,  and  left  them  unnoticed. 

"  When  Chase  returned  to  Montgomery  he  was  greatly 
excited  and  appeared  much  more  guilty  than  I.  The 
Assistant  Superintendent  was  in  the  office  when  he  arrived. 
I  received  the  pouch  from  Chase,  checked  off  the  way 
bill,  found  the  packages  all  right,  and  throwing  down  the 


7V7A  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIl'E.    23» 

pouch,  placed  the  packages  in  the  vault.  I  then  returned 
and  picked  up  the  pouch  as  if  to  look  into  it.  I  had  my 
knife  open,  but  concealed  in  my  coat  sleeve.  As  I  raised 
the  pouch  to  look  into  it,  I  slipped  the  knife  into  my  hand 
and  in  a  second  cut  two  slits  in  the  pouch  and  threw  the 
knife  back  up  my  sleeve.  I  immediately  said  to  Mr.  Hall, 
who  stood  directly  in  front  of  me,  'Why,  it's  cut!  How 
the  messenger  could  carry  the  pouch  around,  cut  in  this 
manner,  and  not  discover  it,  is  astonishing!' 

"The  Assistant  Superintendent  examined  the  pouch 
and  found  it  cut,  as  I  had  stated.  This  was  a  great  point 
in  my  favor,  and  the  Assistant  Superintendent  was  at  once 
convinced  that  I  was  innocent  of  any  participation  in  the 
robbery.  No  one  suspected  me  after  this  until  the  Vice- 
President  and  General  Superintendent  came.  They 
looked  at  the  pouch,  and  one  of  them  said,  '  I  understand 
this,'  and  they  had  the  pouch  taken  care  of.  This  was 
the  first  thing  that  seemed  to  create  suspicion  in  the  Gen 
eral  Superintendent's  mind.  He  had  me  arrested,  but 
could  not  prove  any  thing  against  me.  My  friends  all 
stood  by  me,  and  I  had  to  do  an  immense  amount  of 
drinking.  My  wife  one  day  asked  me  about  the  robbery; 
I  at  first  denied  any  knowledge  of  it,  but  she  is  smart  and 
does  not  easily  give  up.  She  kept  at  me  and  I  finally 
concluded  that  the  best  way  to  keep  her  still  was  to  tell 
her  all.  So  I  owned  up  to  her,  and  then  gave  her  some 
money  and  started  her  for  the  North.  It  is  hard  for  me 
to  keep  any  thing  entirely  to  myself,  and  especially  hard 
to  keep  any  thing  from  my  wife. 

"  I  remained  in  Montgomery,  but  was  not  at  all  lonely, 
as  I  always  had  a  squad  of  friends  around  mr  In  fact  I 


240          PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

never  knew  before  that  I  had  so  many.  I  knew  that  the 
trunk  was  safe,  but  felt  at  times  a  little  apprehensive  that 
some  one  might  open  it.  Its  contents  were  amply  suffi 
cient  to  pay  all  charges  on  it  in  case  it  should  never  be 
claimed. 

"  After  my  arrest,  I  was  taken  before  Justice  Holtzclaw. 
At  the  preliminary  examination  I  was  held  in  forty  thou 
sand  dollars  bail,  but  at  the  final  examination  the  com 
pany  presented  so  weak  a  case  that  I  think  I  ought  to  have 
been  discharged  at  once.  The  justice  thought  differently, 
but  reduced  my  bail  to  four  thousand  dollars,  in  which 
amount  I  was  bound  over  to  appear  for  trial  before  the 
circuit  court.  I  easily  procured  bail,  and  was  soon  at 
liberty.  I  remained  in  Montgomery  after  my  release, 
keeping  a  sharp  look  out  for  detectives,  as  I  felt  sure 
the  company  would  have  plenty  of  them  on  my  track, 
but  I  could  not  discover  any.  It  was  hard  to  believe 
they  had  none  employed,  as  on  the  ten  thousand  dollar 
case  they  had  a  small  regiment  of  them  ;  but  none  were 
to  be  seen  in  Montgomery,  and  I  concluded  they  must  be 
looking  for  the  money  in  another  direction.  I  had  a 
slight  mistrust  of  McGibony,  but  soon  proved  to  my 
entire  satisfaction  that  he  was  not  employed  in  the  case. 
Every  thing  went  on  smoothly,  and  I  could  discover 
nothing  suspicious  going  on  around  me.  I  at  length 
determined  to  make  an  excursion  to  several  of  the  large 
Southern  cities,  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  whether  I  would 
be  followed.  Before  leaving,  I  wrote  to  the  agent  of 
Jones's  Express,  at  Galveston,  assuming  the  name  of 
VV.  A.  Jackson,  and  directed  him  to  send  my  trunk 
to  Natchez.  I  started  out  on  my  trip  and  visited 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AXD  THE  DETECTIVE.  241 

Atlanta,  Chattanooga,  Nashville  and  Memphis.  I  scanned 
the  passengers  who  came  on  board  or  left  the  trains,  all  the 
guests  who  '  put  up  '  at  the  various  hotels  where  I  stopped 
on  my  journey,  but  could  not  discover  a  sign  of  a  detect 
ive.  By  the  time  that  I  got  to  Memphis  I  knew  I  was  not 
followed,  and  so  took  the  steamer  '  John  Walsh,'  intending 
to  get  off  at  Natchez,  gain  possession  of  my  trunk,  which 
must  have  reached  there,  and  go  on  down  the  river  to  New 
Orleans.  When  I  reached  Natchez,  I  enquired  of  the 
agent  of  Jones's  Express  whether  he  had  a  trunk  for  W. 
A.  Jackson,  shipped  from  Galveston,  Texas.  He  examined 
his  book  and  said  that  he  had  not  received  such  a  trunk, 
but  that  possibly  it  had  been  sent  and  detained  in  the  New 
Orleans  office.  I  was  now  in  a  quandary ;  I  was  afraid 
to  go  to  New  Orleans  and  ask  for  the  trunk,  as  I  knew  the 
Adams  and  Jones's  Express  occupied  the  same  office  in 
that  city.  Could  it  be  possible  that  the  company  had 
suspicions  of  the  trunk  and  were  holding  it  as  a  bait  to 
draw  me  out  ?  No  !  it  was  not  possible  !  Still,  I  did  not 
care  to  go  to  the  office  and  ask  for  the  trunk,  as  some 
one  would  be  sure  to  know  me,  and  my  claiming  a  trunk 
as  W.  A.  Jackson  would  be  proof  positive  to  them  that 
something  was  wrong  about  it.  They  would  seize  and 
search  it,  and  then  my  guilt  would  be  apparent.  I  finally 
determined  to  go  to  New  Orleans,  put  up  at  the  City 
Hotel,  and  then  carelessly  drop  into  the  office  of  the  com 
pany  and  see  if  I  could  discover  the  trunk  lying  around. 
I  did  so,  and  on  coming  into  the  office  was  immediately 
recognized  by  the  employes,  some  of  whom  were  glad  to 
see  me.  I  did  not  stay  long;  glanced  around,  sa-,\  the 
trunk  was  not  there,  and  returned  to  the  hotel. 
16 


343          PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

"  I  wanted  to  find  whether  the  trunk  had  gone  on  to 
Natchez,  so  I  wrote  a  note,  asking  whether  a  trunk 
directed  to  W.  A.  Jackson,  Natchez,  was  in  their  posses 
sion  or  had  been  forwarded  to  its  destination,  and  signed 
it  W.  A.  Jackson.  I  then  walked  out  of  the  hotel,  limp 
ing  as  if  so  lame  as  to  be  scarcely  able  to  walk,  and  met 
a  colored  boy  standing  on  the  corner.  I  hired  him  to 
take  the  note  to  the  office  for  me  and  bring  back  the 
answer.  He  soon  returned  with  a  note  which  politely 
informed  me  that  the  trunk  had  been  sent  to  Natchez.  I 
immediately  returned  to  Natchez,  found  the  trunk,  signed 
the  receipt,  paid  the  charges  and  left  for  Mobile  via  New 
Orleans,  and  I  tell  you  I  was  more  than  pleased  when  I 
arrived  there  with  my  trunk. 

"  When  I  reached  Montgomery  a  bevy  of  my  friends 
came  down  to  see  me.  Porter,  one  of  my  best  friends  — 
a  splendid  fellow  —  was  amongst  them,  and  as  he  was 
clerk  of  the  hotel  I  had  him  order  my  baggage  up.  He 
had  a  carriage  for  me  and  we  drove  to  Patterson's,  and 
then  went  over  to  the  hotel.  In  the  morning  I  had  him 
bring  the  old  trunk  into  my  room.  I  opened  it  before 
them  all,  carelessly  took  a  few  cigars  from  each  of  the 
boxes  and  gave  to  them  to  try.  In  this  way  their  sus 
picions  in  regard  to  the  old  trunk,  if  they  had  any,  were 
entirely  dispelled. 

"  Mrs.  Maroney  was  still  in  New  York.  I  remained 
for  some  time  in  Montgomery,  still  suspecting  that  some 
one  was  on  my  track,  but  could  find  nothing  to  confirm 
my  suspicions.  It  was  getting  time  for  me  to  make  some 
preparation  for  my  defense.  I  had  formed  a  plan  to  over 
throw  the  testimony  of  the  company  by  having  a  key 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    243 

made  to  fit  their  pouch,  introducing  it  at  the  trial  and 
proving  that  outsiders  might  have  keys  as  well  as  the 
agent.:.  I  was  desirous  of  having  the  key  made  at  once. 
It  could  not  be  made  in  Montgomery  or  at  New  Orleans, 
for,  though  there  were  plenty  of  locksmiths,  their  work  was 
not  fine  enough  to  suit  me;  so  I  concluded  to  go  to  New 
York  and  have  one  made. 

"  I  had  some  business  to  transact  with  my  wife  also, 
and  wrote  to  her  to  meet  me  at  a  certain  date  in  Phila 
delphia.  I  came  North,  met  my  wife  in  Philadelphia, 
where  we  stopped  a  day  or  two,  and  then  started  for  New 
York.  As  I  stepped  ashore  from  the  ferry-boat  I  was 
arrested.  Never  before  in  my  life  was  I  so  dumbfounded. 
I  can't  tell  you  how  they  knew  the  time  I  would  arrive. 
The  detectives  in  Philadelphia  must  have  been  after  me 
while  I  was  there,  and  when  I  left  for  here  they  must  have 
telegraphed,  and  thus  secured  my  arrest.  They  brought 
me  here  and  I  told  my  wife  to  come  and  see  me  in  the 
morning.  I  was  too  confused  to  say  anything  and  my 
brain  was  in  a  maze.  I  never  dreamed  of  the  possibility 
of  arrest  in  New  York.  I  might  have  been  prepared  for 
it  in  Montgomery,  but  did  not  think  it  possible  that  any 
thing  of  the  kind  could  happen  here.  My  wife  spoke  to 
me  on  the  subject,  but  I  was  unable  to  do  or  say  anything. 
I  make  it  a  rule,  when  I  am  confused  and  can't  collect 
my  thoughts,  to  say  nothing  until  I  am  calm,  when  I  plan 
what  I  had  better  do. 

''  In  the  morning  I  decided  that  it  was  necessary  for 
my  wife  to  go  to  Montgomery  and  bring  the  money  North 
with  her.  I  was  in  jail  and  might  need  the  money  to 
procure  bail,  which  I  would  like  to  do  now.  Then,  there 


244          PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

was  danger  in  leaving  the  money  where  it  was  secreted — 
in  the  old  trunk  in  the  garret  —  as  Floyd  might  want  to 
clear  the  garret  out,  and  I  had  several  times  seen  him 
sell  unclaimed  baggage.  My  old  trunk  might  be  sold 
for  a  trifle  and  some  one  take  it  home  and  find  it  con 
tained  a  treasure. 

"  As  soon  as  she  could,  Mrs.  Maroney  went  to  Mont 
gomery  for  the  money.  I  had  informed  her  where  it 
was  concealed,  and  told  her  to  get  it  and  bring  it  North. 

"The  money  was  rather  bulky,  as  although  there  were 
some  large  bills,  there  were  a  great  many  fives,  tens, 
twenties  and  a  few  one  hundred  dollar  notes.  The  whole 
of  it  made  .a  large  pile,  but  my  wife  proved  a  good  hand. 
She  fooled  them  all,  and  concealed  the  money  in  her  bus 
tle.  It  was  a  troublesome  weight  to  travel  with,  and  she 
was  obliged  to  stop  at  Augusta,  Ga.,  to  rest  herself.  She 
also  spent  a  day  with  my  brother  at  Danielsville,  who 
promised  to  come  and  see  me.  He  came,  and,  as  you 
know,  accomplished  nothing. 

"  My  wife  has  now  got  the  money  concealed  in  the 
cellar  of  Josh.  Cox's  house.  Cox  is  her  brother-in-law, 
and  from  what  she  tells  me  of  him  is  a  good-natured  fel 
low,  but  pretty  shrewd.  Mrs.  Cox  is  very  smart.  They 
never  leave  the  house  entirely  alone,  one  or  the  other  of 
them  alWays  keeping  watch. 

"That  Madam  Imbert  is  said  by  my  wife  to  be  a  fine 
woman.  I  was  much  pleased  with  her  when  she  came 
here  the  other  day.  Mrs.  Maroney  managed  well  with 
her  and  discovered  that  her  husband  is  imprisoned  in 
Missouri.  She  also  followed  her  in  Philadelphia  and 
found  her  changing  money.  My  wife  is  smart,  she  sud- 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.      245 

denly  confronted  her  and  the  Madam  admitted  all.  A 
man  comes  to  see  her  who  exchanges  money  for  her.  My 
wife  was  about  arranging  with  her  to  have  the  express 
money  exchanged,  but  you  are  going  out  and  I  prefer  to 
entrust  my  affairs  to  you.  You  see,  White,  I  know  I  can 
trust  you.  There  is  only  one  thing  that  troubles  me 
about  Jenkintown  :  A  fellow  named  De  Forest  is  stopping 
there  and  is  quite  attentive  to  my  wife.  I  think  he  is  an 
agent  of  the  Adams  Express;  but  from  what  my  wife 
says,  she  is  smart  enough  for  him  and  can  rope  him  in 
long  before  he  can  her. 

"  Now  I  have  told  you  all,  and  hope  you  will  act  in  the 
matter  just  as  your  judgment  dictates.  The  fact  of  the 
matter  is,  your  knowledge  of  the  North  is  so  great  that 
you  can  act  much  better  than  I." 

"  Yes,"  said  White,  "  I  understand  the  ropes  well,  and 
you  may  depend  upon  it  I  will  handle  them  as  well  as  I 
know  how.  I  think  that  as  soon  as  I  get  clear  myself  — 
which  may  take  four,  five,  or  six  days  —  and  have  settled 
up  with  my  lawyers — I  don't  like  those  fellows,  but 
sometimes  you  can't  get  along  without  them  —  I  think  I 
will  try  and  get  a  key  to  the  pouch  made ;  I  can  do  so 
easily.  Then  I  will  go  to  Montgomery  and  see  Chase, 
study  his  movements  on  the  cars  and  at  the  hotels.  I 
can  at  the  same  time  arrange  to  get  the  girl,  whom  I 
intend  to  bring  from  here,  into  the  Exchange,  and  as  soon 
as  possible  get  her  acquainted  with  Chase.  But  see  here, 
don't  you  think  it  best  to  get  some  of  the  stolen  money  to 
use  in  this  case  ?  " 

"  Certainly,"  said  Maroney,  "  My  wife  will  give  you  all 
the  money  you  need.  I  will  give  you  a  letter  to  her." 


246  PINKERTON^S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

"No,"  said  White,  "  I  don't  want  to  have  anything  to 
do  with  women.  Your  wife  may  be  perfectly  true  to  you, 
but  if  I  come  in  I  doubt  very  much  whether  she  takes 
any  interest  in  me,  unless  it  be  to  thwart  my  plans." 

"  Why  not  ?  "  asked  Maroney.  "  My  wife  should  know 
and  take  an  interest  in  all  my  affairs.  She  will  do  all  in 
her  power  for  us,  and  she  is  so  shrewd  that  she  will  be 
able  to  help  us  very  much." 

"Well,"  said  White,  "that  may  be  all  true  enough,  but 
women  are  sure  to  get  strange  notions.  I  don't  like  to 
deal  with  them ;  women  seem  naturally  suspicious.  I 
don't  want  to  treat  your  wife  with  injustice,  but  at  the 
same  time  if  she  has  a  finger  in  the  pie,  ten  to  one  she  will 
suspect  me  of  trying  to  get  the  whole  pile  and  intending 
to  clear  out  with  it." 

"  Don't  you  believe  that  for  a  moment,"  replied  Maro 
ney.  "  She  knows  I  have  entire  confidence  in  you,  and 
that  will  be  enough  for  her.  You  need  have  no  fears  that 
she  will  interfere  in  the  matter  in  any  way.  I  trust  you, 
and  my  word  is  law  to  her.  I  would  prefer  to  have  you 
take  all  the  money ;  you  can  then  select  what  you  want 
for  Chase,  and  try  and  work  off  the  balance  in  small 
amounts.  This  will  be  a  delicate  operation,  as  the  banks 
very  likely  marked  some  of  the  bills  before  they  shipped 
them." 

"  Yes,  there  are  a  great  many  obstables  to  be  overcome 
in  changing  the  money,  but  I  think  I  can  manage  to  work 
it  off  in  some  way." 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 

WHITE,  I  will  write  a  letter  to  my  wife  which  will 
pave  your  way  to  gaining  her  implicit  confidence." 

"  How  will  you  do  that  ?  "  asked  White. 

"  I  will  write  to  her  informing  her  that  you  are  coming, 
'  and  that  you  will  identify  yourself  by  presenting  a  letter 
from  me." 

"  Yes,  but  suppose  she  won't  give  up  the  money  ?  I 
could  not  go  back  again,  as  some  of  the  detectives  might 
suspect  me  and  take  me  into  custody." 

"  Oh,  nothing  of  the  sort  will  happen.  I  will  write  you 
a  letter  that  will  surely  get  the  money  ;  come,  we  will  see 
what  we  can  do/1  And  they  sat  down  at  a  table,  where 
Maroney  began  to  write. 

In  a  short  time  he  finished  a  letter,  and  read  it  to 
White.  He  wrote  : 

"  MY  DEAREST  WIFE  :  I  have  confided  all  to  Mr. 
White.  He  will  be  liberated  to-day  or  to-morrow.  He 
has  some  business  to  attend  to,  which  will  detain  him  four 
or  five  days,  when  he  will  call  on  you  in  the  guise  of  a 
book-peddler.  Now,  I  say  to  you,  trust  implicitly  in  him  ! 
I  have  trusted  him  with  my  secret.  He  will  take  care  of 
all.  Give  him  everything  you  have  in  the  packages. 
Take  no  writing  from  him,  whatever.  He  requires  some 
thing  to  work  off  on  Chase,  and  wants  to  use  some  of 
the  stuff  I  got  in  Montgomery.  When  he  succeeds  in 


248  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

this,  Chase  will  be  in  my  place.  Then  lie  will  begin  to 
exchange  all  I  have  ;  afterwards  all  will  be  easy.  When 
I  am  at  liberty,  we  can  enjoy  it  in  safety.  I  feel  perfectly 
safe,  and  confident.  Now,  dearest,  as  I  have  before  said, 
trust  him  implicitly,  and  all  will  be  right. 

Yours  forever,  NAT." 

White  approved  of  the  letter.  Maroney,  therefore, 
sealed  it  up,  directed  it,  and  gave  it  to  Shanks,  who  was 
in  the  jail,  to  post.  Of  course  the  dutiful  young  man 
would  not  fail  to  do  so. 

He  then  wrote  the  following  letter  of  introduction  and 
handed  it  to  White  : 

"  MY  DEAREST  WIFE  :  This  is  the  book-peddler.  You 
will  want  to  buy  books  from  him.  Buy  what  you  want. 
Give  him  the  packages  for  me.  He  is  honest.  All 
is  well.  NAT." 

White  scanned  its  contents,  and  said  :  "  I  suppose  this 
is  sufficient,  but  the  question  still  remains :  will  she  obey 
it  ?  I  will  do  the  best  I  can,  but  I  have  little  faith  in 
women." 

"  Oh,  now!  "  said  Maroney,  "  don't  make  me  feel  down 
hearted.  I  have  done  the  best  I  can,  and  I  know  she 
will  obey  me." 

"  Very  well,"  replied  White,  "  I  will  go  as  soon  as  pos 
sible  —  in  a  week,  more  or  less  ;  as  soon  as  I  can  possibly 
arrange  my  own  affairs.  On  my  arrival  in  Jenkintown  I 
will  write  to  you  at  once  and  let  you  know  how  I  am 
received." 

"  Agreed ;  1  have  trusted  you,  and  my  wife  must  trust 
you." 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.   249 

Shanks  had  several  commissions  to  attend  to.  He  first 
came  to  my  room  in  the  hotel  and  handed  me  Maroney's 
letter  to  his  wife.  I  opened  and  read  the  letter,  and 
exclaimed.  "  Now  the  battle  is  ours  !  Victory  is  almost 
within  our  grasp."  I  saw  the  Vice-President  and  read 
the  letter  to  him.  He  was  highly  delighted  and  said  he 
could  now  see  the  wisdom  of  all  my  manoeuvres. 

The  following  day  White  was  released  from  his  long 
confinement.  It  must  be  admitted  that  his  duties  were 
extremely  arduous,  but  such  is  often  the  fate  of  a  detect 
ive.  I  have  sometimes  had  my  men  in  prison  for  a  longer 
time  than  this,  and  they  have  often  failed  to  accomplish 
any  thing,  being  obliged  to  give  up  without  discovering 
what  they  were  looking  for.  White  remained  in  New 
York  attending  to  his  own  business  after  his  release.  He 
called  once  or  twice  on  Maroney  to  show  that  he  had  not 
forgotten  him,  and  to  assure  him  that  he  would  soon  get 
a  pouch-key  made.  This  was  easily  accomplished,  as  all 
he  had  to  do  was  to  go  the  Express  Office,  get  a  key,  file 
it  up  a  little  to  make  it  look  bright  and  new,  and  show  it 
to  Maroney  as  an  earnest  of  his  intentions  in  regard  to 
Chase. 

We  will  now  leave  the  parties  in  New  York  and  return 
to  Jenkintown.  Very  little  had  taken  place  here  and  the 
various  parties  in  whom  we  have  an  interest  were  con 
ducting  themselves  much  as  usual.  Mrs.  Maroney  and 
Madam  Imbert  went  to  Philadelphia  on  the  same  day  that 
White  was  liberated.  They  spent  most  of  the  day  in  the 
city  and  came  out  on  the  cars  in  the  evening.  De  Forest 
met  them  and  drove  them  to  Stemples's  in  his  buggy. 
After  tea  Madam  Imbert  went  down  to  Cox's  and  strolled 


250  PJNKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

up  to  the  post  office  with  Mrs.  Maroney.  Mrs.  Maroney 
received  a  letter  which  she  opened.  She  said  it  was  from 
Nat.  She  began  to  read  it  as  they  walked  along.  As  she 
read,  Madam  Imbert  noticed  that  all  color  left  her  face, 
and  she  became  white  as  wax.  She  folded  up  the  letter 
and  leaned  heavily  on  the  Madam's  arm  for  support. 

"What's  the  matter?  are  you  sick?"  she  anxiously 
enquired." 

"No;"  but  I  have  received  so  strange  a  letter ;  walk 
along  with  me  ;  I  am  very  weak  ;  I  will  tell  you  its  con 
tents  in  a  few  minutes." 

She  did  not  go  in  the  direction  of  Cox's,  but  led  the 
way  to  the  garden.  Here  the  two  women  took  seats. 
She  read  the  letter  over  again  and  then  handed  it  to 
Madam  Imbert.  "  Read  it,"  she  said.  The  Madam  did 
so.  Neither  spoke  for  some  time.  "What  do  you  think 
of  it?"  she  at  length  asked.  "I  think  it  a  little  strange, 
but  at  the  same  time  have  no  doubt  but  that  it  is  all  right. 
Your  husband  is  of  course  the  best  judge  in  this  matter, 
and  must  have  good  reasons  for  taking  the  step.  He  has 
full  confidence  in  White;  has  been  locked  up  with  him 
for  several  months;  has  seen  him  day  and  night,  and 
doubtless  has  thoroughly  studied  his  character.  White  is 
almost  like  his  wife,  and  he  knows  what  he  is  doing  when 
he  consents  to  trust  him  so  far." 

Mrs.  Maroney  was  rapidly  getting  better  and  said, 
angrily,  "  No,  I  will  never  give  him  the  money  in  this 
way  !  it  is  all  nonsense  !  'What  do  I  know  about  White?' 
This  is  asking  too  much  of  me  !  Why  did  he  not  write 
and  consult  me  on  the  subject?  He  simply  says,  '  White 
is  out  of  jail  now;  give  him  the  money!'  and  gives  me 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECTIVE.    23t 

no  chance  to  speak  on  the  subject.  Suppose  White  gets 
the  money;  how  do  I  know  but  that  he  will  run  away 
with  it  and  leave  us  to  suffer  without  getting  any  of  the 
benefit  ?  Madam  Imbert  I  must  tell  you  all :  you  see 
that  in  this  letter  Nat.  does  not  mention  money,  but  he 
means  money.  As  you  are  now  the  only  one  I  can  trust,. 
I  will  talk  plainly  to  you.  My  husband  took  the  forty 
thousand  dollars  from  the  Express  Company,  and  also 
ten  thousand  dollars  previously.  Now  all  is  out !  When 
he  was  thrown  into  prison  in  New  York  he  sent  me  for 
the  money  which  he  had  concealed  in  Montgomery,  and  I 
brought  it  here,  and  have  it  hidden  in  Josh.'s  cellar.  Now 
what  am  I  to  do  ?  If  I  give  it  to  this  man  White,  I  shall 
probably  never  see  it  again ;  in  fact  I  am  sure  I  never 
shall." 

"You  are  mistaken,  I  think,"  said  Madam  Imbert;  have 
confidence !" 

"Confidence!  It  would  be  my  best  plan  to  run  away 
myself!"  —  she  was  going  on  still  further,  but  Madam 
Imbert  stopped  her. 

"  Don't  say  any  thing  more  at  present,  my  dear  Mrs. 
Maroney.  You  are  too  excited  to  talk  calmly  ;  let  the 
matter  rest  until  morning." 

They  dropped  the  subject  for  the  time,  and  as  Mrs, 
Maroney  expressed  a  desire  for  a  little  brandy  to  calm 
her  nerves,  went  down  to  Cox's.  Mrs.  Maroney  offered 
some  brandy  to  the  Madam,  v/hich  she  politely  declined 
to  take,  but  this  did  not  in  the  least  abash  her,  for  she 
gulped  down  enough  to  stagger  an  old  toper.  Josh,  was 
not  at  home,  and  so  very  little  was  said. 


252  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVL    STORIES. 

Mrs.  Cox  asked  her  if  she  had  received  a  letter  from 
Nat. 

"  Yes,"  she  answered  in  a  snappish  tone,  and  said  no 
more. 

Madam  Imbert  had  accomplished  all  she  desired  for 
that  day,  and  so  left  Mrs.  Maroney  to  herself.  In  the 
morning  Mrs.  Maroney  sent  Flora  to  her,  with  a  request 
that  she  would  accompany  her  to  Philadelphia.  Madam 
Imbert  sent  word  that  she  would  be  happy  to  go  and 
would  come  to  Cox's  immediately. 

De  Forest  met  Flora  and  commenced  playing  with  her. 

"I  must  go  right  home,"  said  she,  "as  ma  is  going  to 
Philadelphia  and  sent  me  with  a  message  to  Madam  Im 
bert,  asking  her  to  go  too.  She  said  she  would,  and  is 
coming  down  to  the  house,  so  I  must  hurry  home." 

"  What  a  fool  I  am,"  thought  De  Forest,  "  I  would 
rather  have  her  go  with  me." 

So  he  went  to  Cox's  with  Flora  to  offer  his  services. 
Mrs.  Maroney  appeared  troubled  and  excited.  He  knew 
that  he  never  made  progress  with  her  when  she  was  in  a 
moody  state,  so  he  timidly  said  that  he  was  going  to  Phila 
delphia  and  asked  her  to  go  along.  She  said,  "  No !  " 
very  harshly,  and  he  immediately  vanished. 

She  started  out  and  met  Madam  Imbert  on  the  way 
down. 

"Come  back  with  me,  I  want  to  hire  Stemples's  team,' 
she  said. 

Stemples  soon  had  his  team  ready  for  them,  and  they 
started. 

"  I  didn't  want  any  one  with  me  but  you,  Madam  Im 
bert,  as  I  am  much  troubled  and  need  your  advice.  I 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTU'E.   253 

want  to  consult  a  lawyer,  but  don't  know  how  to  go  about 
it.  There  is  a  lawyer  in  Philadelphia,  a  good  man,  in 
fact  the  same  one  my  husband  had  at  New  York  for  con 
sultation,  and  I  think  I  shall  ask  his  advice."  . 

"  I  would  not  do  it,  if  I  were  in  your  place,"  advised 
Madam  Imbert.  "  If  a  lawyer  once  gets  hold  of  the  facts, 
he  is  much  more  likely  to  get  all  the  money  than  White." 

"  That  is  the  trouble.  Last  night  after  you  left,  Josh, 
came  in  and  we  talked  the  matter  over.  You  know  Josh, 
and  the  opinion  I  have  of  him,  but  with  all  his  faults  he 
is  shrewd.  His  wife  and  he  held  the  same  opinion  :  that 
it  would  never  do  to  trust  White  with  the  money,  and 
Josh,  was  in  favor  of  changing  its  hiding  place.  I  did 
not  tell  them  that  I  had  told  you  all,  but  I  intend  to  do 
so.  I  informed  them  that  I  was  going  to  the  city  to  con 
sult  a  lawyer,  but  they  were  both  against  me,  and  now 
you  are  opposed  to  me  and  I  don't  know  what  to  do,  or 
what  I  am  doing.  I  am  almost  crazy  !  " 

They  drove  up  to  a  tavern  on  the  way  and  she  took 
some  brandy,  which  seemed  to  give  her  more  courage. 

When  they  reached  the  city  Madam  Imbert  wished  to 
report  to  Bangs,  but  found  it  almost  impossible  to  get 
away  from  Mrs.  Maroney,  who  had  concluded  not  to  ask 
the  advice  of  a  lawyer.  They  went  into  Mitchell's  and 
Madam  Imbert  managed  to  get  away  a  few  moments  and 
reported  to  Bangs. 

She  had  not  been  with  him  ten  minutes  before  Rivers, 
who  was  shadowing  Mrs.  Maroney,  came  in  and  reported 
that  she  seemed  very  uneasy  and  had  been  out  on  the 
street  several  times,  glancing  anxiously  around.  Madam. 
Imbert  at  once  hurrieii>ack  to  Mitchell's. 


254  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

"  Where  were  you  ?  "  demanded  Mrs.  Maroney.  "  I 
am  suspicious  of  you  all !  " 

Madam  Imbert  drew  herself  up  with  an  air  of  offended 
dignity  which  spoke  more  than  words. 

"  I  am  sorry  I  have  offended  you  !  "  said  Mrs.  Maroney 
quickly.  "Please  forgive  me!  I  am  so  nervous  that  for 
a  time  I  mistrusted  even  you  and  thought  you  had  gone 
for  a  policeman  or  a  detective ;  let's  have  dinner  and  go." 

When  they  were  on  the  return  journey,  Mrs.  Maroney 
said : 

"  I  feel  much  better  on  the  road  with  you  alone  than 
when  in  the  city.  I  want  to  talk  continually,  and  you  are 
the  only  one  to  whom  I  dare  talk.  However  excited  or 
miserable  I  may  feel,  companionship  with  you  always 
makes  me  feel  happy  and  contented." 

At  the  various  taverns  they  passed  on  the  road  Mrs. 
Maroney  always  stopped  and  invoked  the  aid  of  stimulants 
to  cheer  her  up.  She  suddenly  turned  to  Madam  Imbert 
and  asked : 

"Would  you  be  willing  to  run  away  with  me?  We 
could  go  down  into  Louisiana,  where  we  are  not  known, 
buy  a  small  place  in  some  out  of  the  way  town  and  live 
secluded  for  four  or  five  years,  until  our  existence  was 
forgotten,  and  then  make  our  appearance  once  more  in 
the  fashionable  world,  with  plenty  of  money  to  maintain 
our  position ;  or  we  might  go  to  New  York  and  from 
there  to  England  and  the  continent." 

"  Yes,  we  could  do  all  that  if  we  had  the  money,"  said 
the  Madam ;  "  but  you  forget  that  at  this  time  we  cannot 
use  it." 

"  You   have   plenty  of   money  of  your  own   and  you 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.     255 

might  let  me  stop  with  you  for  three  or  four  years,  as  by 
that  time  we  could  use  the  express'  money  without  any 
risk." 

"Yes,  I  would  gladly  keep  you  for  years  if  that  is  all 
you  want." 

"  When  do  you  expect  the  man  who  exchanges  your 
money  ?  Could  you  not  get  him  here  at  once  ?  Then  we 
could  go." 

"I  could  write  to  him,"  replied  the  Madam,  "and  he 
would  come  at  once,  provided  my  letter  reached  him,  but 
sometimes  I  have  to  wait  two  or  three  months  after  writing 
for  him  before  he  makes  his  appearance.  He  travels  a 
good  deal,  and  comes  to  the  place  where  he  has  his  letters 
directed  only  once  in  a  while.  He  is  a  strange  man,  but 
very  honest.  I  will  wri'c  to  him  to-night,  if  you  say  so, 

so  that  we  can  soon  hear  from  him  and  get  him  here." 

%  B 

They  arrived  in  Jcukintown  without  arranging  any 
decided  plan.  After  tea  they  again  met.  Mrs.  Maroney 
said  that  she  was  so  fatigued  that  even  her  brain  was 
so  weary  that  she  felt  completely  broken  down,  and  must 
retire  early.  Rivers  arrived  from  Philadelphia  on  the 
cars  long  before  the  v.-omen,  and  v/ent  down  to  see  Josh. 
Josh,  had  remained  at  home  all  day  with  his  wife,  and  was 
^lad  of  the  excuse  Rivers 's  coming  gave  him  to  go  down 
to  Stemples's.  He  was  moody  and  would  not  talk  much- 
Even  Barclay  could  not  get  a  word  out  of  him.  He  was 
willing  to  drink,  but  spoke  only  in  monosylables.  At 
nine  o'clock  he  went  home.  Rivers  got  into  Cox's  yard 
and  watched  the  house  for  about  two  hours,  when  finding 
all  quiet,  he  returned  home  and  went  to  bed. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

TIME  rolled  on,  and  the  third  day  after  the  trip  to 
Philadelphia,  Madam  Imbert  was  with  Mrs.  Ma- 
roney,  who  talked  incessantly  about  giving  up  the  money. 
She  alluded  to  Cox's  idea  of  the  question.  He  said  that 
he  would  never  give  White  the  money ;  that  he  did  not 
know  the  man,  and  that  he  would  trust  no  one  with  forty 
thousand  dollars.  He  declared  that  he  had  now  got  the 
money,  and  that  he  was  going  to  keep  it.  She  insisted 
that  they  should  let  her  arrange  the  matter  to  suit  herself. 
Mrs.  Cox  was,  like  her  husband,  bound  that  White  should 
not  get  the  money.  Every  thing  appeared  against  White's 
chances  of  getting  the  money.  At  this  time  they  were 
seated  in  a  secluded  part  of  the  garden.  Mrs.  Maroney 
glanced  around,  saw  that  no  one  was  near,  and  then  said  : 
"  Madam  Imbert,  you  are  accustomed  to  attend  to  affairs 
like  mine  ;  won't  you  take  the  money,  claim  it  as  your 
own,  and  go  with  me  to  the  West?  You  could  then  find 
your  friend,  and  he  would  be  willing  to  exchange  the 
money  for  two  or  three  thousand  dollars  —  wouldn't  he  ? 
I  want  to  get  away  from  here ;  my  sister  is  against  me,  and 
Josh,  treats  me  as  if  he  was  my  equal,  or  superior." 

Madam  Imbert  saw  she  must  act  very  prudently.  Mrs. 
Maroney  must  be  quietly  dealt  with.  She  wished  her  to 
give  the  money  to  White,  as  if  she  took  the  money  she 
would  have  to  be  a  witness  in  the  case.  She  wished  to 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    257 

avoid  this,  but  if  she  could  not  succeed  in  making  her 
turn  the  money  over  to  White,  as  a  last  resort  she  would 
take  possession  of  it  herself.  She  therefore  replied  : 

"  Xo,  I  don't  like  to  take  it;  I  have  enough  of  my  own 
to  look  after.  If  my  poor  husband  were  only  out  of  jail 
he  would  get  it  changed  for  you  in  short  order.  I  don't 
want  any  more  money  about  me  at  present ;  it  would  go 
hard  with  me  if  I  were  discovered  with  the  money  on  my 
person." 

"  There  is  little  danger  of  that,"  said  Mrs.  Maroney. 
"  I  carried  it  all  the  way  from  Montgomery  and  was  not 
much  inconvenienced  by  it;  you  must  help  me." 

"  Mrs.  Maroney,  if  I  were  in  your  place,  I  would  do 
exactly  as  my  husband  wished." 

"Yes,  yes,"  said  she,  "but  who  knows  White?  I  never 
saw  him." 

"We  will  let  the  matter  drop  for  the  present.  I  will  do 
all  I  can  to  assist  you.  I  wrote  to  my  friend  last  night, 
and  he  will  send  an  answer  directed  to  you  in  my  care." 

Mrs.  Maroney  was  greatly  pleased  and  went  home  in 
high  spirits.  On  the  following  day  she  got  a  letter  from 
Maroney  ;  he  had  seen  Whi^e,  and  he  would  be  in  Jenkin- 
town  in  a  day  or  two.  he  said  White  was  opposed  -to 
dealing  with  women,  and  if  he  did  not  get  the  money  on 
his  first  visit,  he  would  never  come  back.  He  finished 
by  entreating  her  to  give  up  all  cheerfully,  remembering 
that  it  was  for  the  good  of  both.  This  letter  arrived  in  the 
evening,  and  Mrs.  Maroney,  after  perusing  it,  told  Madam 
Inibert  that  she  had  made  up  her  mind  never  to  give  up 
the  money.  "  I  will  burn  it  before  I  will  give  it  to 
White,"  said  she.  Madam  Imbert  was  rather  startled  at 


258          PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

this  avowal,  but  on  a  second  consideration  was  convinced 
that  it  was  a  bit  of  braggadocio,  and  that  there  was  not 
the  slightest  fear  of  her  carrying  such  a  threat  into  execu 
tion.  She  found  Mrs.  Maroney  in  too  unreasonable  a 
state  of  mind  to  accomplish  any  thing  with  her  that  day, 
and  she  therefore  returned  to  Stemples's. 

The  next  day  was  decidedly  a  breezy  day  for  all.  Early 
in  the  morning  Mrs.  Maroney  sent  for  Madam  Imbert, 
who  at  once  joined  her  at  Cox's.  Mrs.  Maroney  met  her 
at  the  door. 

"  O,  Madam  Imbert,  I  am  so  glad  you  have  come ! 
Josh,  has  been  acting  in  a  most  independent  manner.  I 
almost  believe  he  is  right,  in  protesting  that  he  will  not 
allow  the  money  to  go." 

Madam  Imbert  appealed  to  Mrs.  Maroney's  sense  of 
duty.  She  depicted  in  glowing  terms  the  happiness  of  the 
wife  who  looks  only  to  her  husband's  interests,  and  makes 
sacrifices  in  his  behalf.  She  drew  a  touching  picture  of 
Maroney's  sufferings  in  jail,  and  tried  to  impress  upon  her 
the  conviction  that  it  was  more  than  probable  that  he 
had  taken  the  money  so  as  to  be  able  to  place  her  in  a 
situation  where  she  could  command  any  luxury.  What 
did  Cox  know  about  suffering,  or  of  the  steps  her  husband 
found  it  necessary  to  take  in  order  to  effect  his  release  ? 
When  Maroney  took  the  forty  thousand  dollars,  he  had  to 
ship  it  at  once  down  the  Alabama  river,  and  now  they 
could  see  how  wise  he  was  in  so  doing.  He  had  dis 
played  consummate  ability  in  every  movement  he  had 
so  far  made,  and  was  it  at  all  likely  that  he  had  lost  his 
cunning?  "  He  loves  you,"  said  she,  "and  would  do  any 
thing  for  you. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND   THE  DETECT'IVE.    239 

Your  duty  as  a  wife  is  plain  and  simple;  do  as  your  hus 
band  wishes  you  to  do." 

Madam  Imbert's  reasoning  was  unanswerable,  but  to 
Mrs.  Maroney  it  was  a  bitter  pill.  Without  saying  a 
word,  she  led  the  way  into  the  house,  where  they  met 
Cox,  just  coming  up  from  the  cellar.  She  had  informed 
both  Josh,  and  his  wife  that  she  had  made  a  confidante 
of  Madam  Imbert,  and  they  thought  she  had  done  wisely. 

"  Josh.,  have  you  been  moving  the  money  ?  "  demanded 
she. 

"  No !  "  he  replied,  in  rather  a  surly  tone.  Then  turn 
ing  to  Madam  Imbert,  he  said  :  "  You  must  have  the 
same  opinion  of  this  matter  as  I !  I  think  it  folly  to  give 
the  money  up  to  White.  No  one  knows  about  this 
would-be  book  peddler,  and  I  will  not  give  up  the  money 
to  such  a  man.  Let  him  come  to  me  and  I  will  talk  to 
him."  Josh,  strutted  about  the  room  with  the  air  of  a 
six-footer.  "  I'll  have  it  out  of  him  in  short  order.  I'll 
show  him  he  can't  pull  the  wool  over  my  eyes,  as  he 
seems  to  have  done  over  Nat.'s.  I'll  be  d — d  if  I  can 
understand  it." 

Cox  was  ably  seconded  in  his  opinion  by  his  wife. 

Mrs.  Maroney  had  very  little  to  say. 

Madam  Imbert  said  that,  in  her  opinion,  Josh,  was 
entirely  wrong.  Maroney  knew  better  than  they  what 
was  for  his  interest.  As  for  her,  if  her  husband  was  to 
tell  her  to  give  up  all  she  had,  she  would  cheerfully  do 
so,  as  she  knew  he  was  best  able  to  judge  what  was  for 
the  benefit  of  them  both. 

The  day  passed  in  a  continual  wrangle.  Madam 
Imbert  could  hardly  get  away  from  Mrs.  Maroney  long 


260  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

enough  to  eat  her  meals.  Mrs.  Maroney  and  Josh,  dealt 
exclusively  in  brandy.  Toward  evening  Josh,  proclaimed 
his  intention  of  "  raising  "  the  money,  and  starting  with 
it  that  night  for  the  West.  He  would  hide  himself  until 
Maroney  got  out  of  jail,  when  he  would  return  and  deliver 
the  money  over  to  him.  Josh,  was  sublime  in  the  purity 
and  philanthropy  of  his  motives.  He  did  not  want  a  cent 
of  the  money  ;  not  he  !  but  he  could  not  consent  to  see 
his  brother-in-law  swindled  while  he  stood  by  and  calmly 
looked  on,  without  making  an  effort  in  his  behalf.  No ! 
this  he  could  not  do.  To  his  own  serious  inconvenience, 
he  would  voluntarily  tear  himself  from  his  family,  impose 
upon  himself  the  task  of  becoming  the  watch-dog  of 
Nat.'s  treasure,  and  for  a  time  lose  himself  in  the  v/ilder- 
ness  of  the  West.  Madam  Imbert  thought  his  v/ould  be 
a  clear  case  of  "  Though  lost  to  sight,  to  memory  dear" 
but  did  not  say  so. 

Mrs.  Maroney  rather  took  the  wind  out  of  his  sails  by 
saying:  "Don't  you  dare  to  'raise'  the  money  until  I. 
tell  you  to  !  I  am  in  no  hurry  to  have  it  moved ;  the  cellar 
has  proved  a  safe  hiding  place  so  far,  and  I  see  no  reason 
why  it  should  not  so  remain.  You  will  please  remember 
that  it  belongs  to  Nat.  and  me.  I  am  able  to  take  care  of 
it,  so  you  may  just  let  it  alone." 

Josh,  said  no  more,  but  mentally  washing  his  hands  of 
the  whole  transaction,  started  for  Stemples's.  He  found 
Rivers  and  Barclay  there,  but  said  nothing  about  what 
had  happened,  further  than  that  he  was  having  trouble  at 
home. 

In  the  evening  Mrs.  Maroney  received  a  letter  from  her 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  A  ArD   THE  DETECTIVE.    261 

husband,  stating  that  the  book-peddler  would  call  the 
next  day. 

The  next  day  was  to  be  an  eventful  one  for  me.  By 
noon  I  should  know  the  fate  of  my  enterprise.  I  had  no 
doubts  about  what  the  results  would  be,  but  I  should  then 
have  the  proofs  in  hand  to  show  my  employers  that  the 
confidence  they  had  bestowed  upon  me  had  not  been 
misplaced ;  that  the  theory  I  had  advanced  and  worked 
upon  was  the  correct  one ;  that  my  profession,  which  had 
been  dragged  down  by  unprincipled  adventureis  until  the 
term  "detective  "  was  synonymous  v/ith  rogue,  was,  when 
properly  attended  to  and  honestly  conducted,  one  of  the 
most  useful  and  indispensible  adjuncts  to  the  preserva 
tion  of  the  lives  and  property  of  the  people.  The  Divine 
administers  consolation  to  the  soul ;  the  physician  strives 
to  relieve  the  pains  of  the  body  ;  while  the  detective 
cleanses  society  from  its  impurities,  makes  crime  hideous 
by  dragging  it  to  light,  when  it  would  otherwise  thrive  in 
darkness,  and  generally  improves  mankind  by  proving 
that  wrong  acts,  no  matter  how  skilfully  covered  up,  are 
sure  to  be  found  out,  and  their  perpetrators  punished. 
The  great  preventive  of  crime,  is  the  fear  of  detection. 

There  are  quacks  in  other  professions  as  well  as  in 
mine,  and  people  should  lay  the  blame  where  it  belongs, 
upon  the  quacks,  and  not  upon  the  profession. 

In  the  evening  I  received  a  letter  from  Madam  Imbert, 
telling  me  of  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  White's  receiv 
ing  the  money.  She  was  full  of  hope,  and  said  she 
thought  she  could  manage  to  make  Mrs.  Maroney  give 
up  the  money;  but  if  all  else  failed  she  would  take  the 
money  herself.  It  was  often  offered  to  her  by  Mrs.  Ma- 


262  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

roney,  and  Josh,  had  said  he  had  no  objections  to  her 
receiving  it.  She  would  make  arrangements  so  that  if 
White  did  not  get  the  money,  she  would.  The  money 
would  be  in  Philadelphia  the  next  evening  if  she  had  to 
walk  in  with  it  herself. 

The  recovery  of  forty  or  fifty  thousand  dollars,  to-day, 
is  considered  a  small  operation;  but  in  1859,  before  the 
war,  the  amount  was  looked  upon  as  perfectly  enormous. 

I  showed  Madam  Imbert's  letter  to  the  Vice-President. 
He  was  greatly  pleased  to  find  success  so  near  at  hand, 
and  agreed  to  make  a  little  trip  with  me  in  the  morning. 

White  was  with  me,  in  Philadelphia,  and  I  made  all  my 
arrangements  for  the  following  day's  work.  I  was  up 
bright  and  early  the  next  morning.  The  sun  rose  in  a 
cloudless  sky,  and  the  weather  promised  to  be  fine.  It 
would  most  likely  be  excessively  hot  by  noon,  but  the 
morning  was  fresh  and  balmy.  White,  in  his  character 
of  a  book-peddler,  was  to  go  into  Jenkintown  on  foot,  so 
as  to  give  the  impression  that  he  had  walked  out  from  the 
city.  Shanks  was  to  drive  him  to  within  about  two  miles 
of  Jenkintown,  where  White  was  to  get  out  and  walk  in, 
while  Shanks  would  drive  back  and  wait  for  him  at  the 

Rising  Sun,  a  tavern  on  the  road.  The  Vice-President 
and  I  drove  over  from  Chestnut  Hill,  put  up  our  team  at 
the  Rising  Sun,  and  took  up  our  position  as  near  the 
probable  scene  of  action  as  was  prudent. 

Early  in  the  morning,  just  as  day  began  to  dawn,  Rivers 
came  in  and  reported  the  condition  of  affairs.  He  had 
watched  Cox's  through  the  night,  but  aside  from  high 
words  there  had  been  no  demonstration.  I  sent  a  note 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   263 

to  Madam  Imbert  by  him,  with  instructions  to  deliver  it 
to  her  as  soon  as  she  was  up.  I  told  her  to  be  sure  and 
do  as  she  said  she  would  —  get  the  money  to-day  at  all 
hazards — by  storm,  if  necessary,  as  I  did  not  like  to 
trust  Cox  anothe«-  <iav, 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

AT  Jenkintown  there  was  no  lull  in  the  fight.  The 
battle  was  going  on  gloriously.  Breakfast  at  Cox's 
was  a  meagre  meal,  even  the  children  were  neglected,  as 
all  the  grovn  portion  of  the  household  v/crc  on  the  look 
out  for  the  book-peddler. 

"  Sister  Ann !  Sister  Ann  !  do  you  see  any  one  coming  ?  " 
was  the  cry. 

Every  once  in  a  while  one  of  them  would  go  to  the 
gate  and  look  anxiously  down  the  road,  in  the  direction 
of  Philadelphia.  Mrs.  Maroney  was  impatiently  awaiting 
the  arrival  of  Madam  Imbert.  She  did  not  have  to  wait 
long,  as  the  Madam  came  down  immediately  after  break 
fast.  Her  commanding  figure  and  decided  expression 
made  her  appear  like  a  general  giving  orders.  She  was 
perfectly  calm,  while  all  the  rest  were  so  excited  that  they 
did  not  know  v/hat  to  do  or  say.  She  controlled  the 
position. 

Mrs.  Maroney  had  not  slept  any  and  was  still  unable 
to  decide  upon  her  action.  She  strolled  out  with  the 
Madam  a  short  distance,  thinking  to  find  relief  in  a  quiet 
chat.  She  said  she  was  filled  with  doubts  and  fears.  She 
was  afraid  to  trust  Josh.,  and  he  might  go  off  at  any 
moment  with  the  packages.  Madam  Imbert  told  her  that 
there  was  only  one  thing  to  be  done,  and  that  was  to  give 
up  the  packages  to  White  as  her  husband  ordered. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    265 

"Are  you  sure,"  said  she,  "that  the  letter  is  in  your 
husband's  handwriting?  " 

Mrs.  Maroney  looked  at  her  in  a  startled  manner  and 
pulled  the  letter  from  its  hiding  place  in  the  bosom  of 
her  dress.  She  scanned  it  over  carefully  and  said: 

"Yes,  it  is  Nat.'s  writing." 

"Then  there  is  nothing  to  do  but  to  give  it  up.  If  my 
husband  ordered  me  I  would  gladly  give  up  all  I  have  in 
this  world  to  please  him." 

They  remained  away  from  the  house  for  some  time, 
and  when  they  returned  it  was  nearly  noon.  On  looking 
down  the  street  they  discovered  a  book-peddler  slowly 
toiling  along  from  the  direction  of  Philadelphia  and  evi 
dently  bending  his  steps  towards  Cox's.  As  Mrs.  Maro 
ney  saw  him  coming  along  sweltering  in  the  sun  and 
bending  under  the  weight  of  his  load  of  books,  she  gave 
an  involuntary  start,  and  Madam  Imbert,  on  whose  arm 
she  leaned,  felt  that  she  was  trembling  with  excitement. 
Cox  stood  beside  his  wife  in  the  door-way  with  his  teeth 
clinched.  His  wife  looked  unutterable  things,  but  neither 
uttered  a  word. 

Madam  Imbert  and  Mrs.  Maroney  went  into  the  yard 
and  stood  leaning  over  the  gate,  watching  the  peddler, 
who  was  rapidly  drawing  near.  He  arrived  at  the  gate  at 
the  appointed  time. 

"Do  you  wish  to  buy  any  books  ?"  asked  he,  at  the 
same  time  handing  Mrs.  Maroney  a  novel  to  look  at, 
which  he  opened  so  as  to  disclose  a  note.  He  spoke  to 
her  in  a  low  tone  and  said  : 

"  I  am  from  prison,"  then  glancing  at  the  note,  "  I  think 
that  is  for  you." 


266  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

She  took  the  novel,  and,  holding  it  open  as  if  reading 
it,  scanned  the  contents  of  the  note  : 

"  MY  DEAREST  WIFE  :  This  is  the  book-peddler.  You 
will  want  to  buy  books  from  him.  Buy  what  you  want. 
Give  him  the  packages  for  me.  He  is  honest. 

"All  is  well.  NAT." 

When  she  had  read  the  note  she  stood  looking  at  it, 
apparently  unable  to  speak.  Madam  Imbert  looked  at 
her,  and  as  she  began  to  fear  that  some  of  the  neighbors 
might  notice  the  long  stay  of  the  peddler,  said  : 

"  Have  you  no  message  for  the  man  ?  Time  is  pre 
cious  !  " 

"Yes,"  she  answered,  looking  up  as  from  a  trance. 

Madam  Imbert  spoke  in  a  low  tone  : 

"Tell  him  to  meet  you  down  the  lane." 

"  Yes,"  said  she,  "  I  will  meet  you  down  the  lane  at  two 
o'clock  and  take  some  books  from  you." 

The  peddler  left  a  few  novels  and  walked  off.  Mrs. 
Maroney  and  Madam  Imbert  walked  into  the  house. 
Now  was  the  time  for  Madam  Imbert  to  show  her  power. 

"Come,  Mrs.  Maroney,  be  quick!  You  must  act  at 
once  !  Get  the  money  for  the  book-peddler,  quick!  " 

Mrs.  Maroney  seemed  to  act  mechanically.  Madam 
Imbert's  strong  will  had  asserted  a  power  over  her  that 
she  could  not  resist.  They  went  into  the  cellar  accom 
panied  by  Josh,  and  his  wife. 

"  Dig  the  money  up,"  commanded  Mrs.  Maroney  still 
in  the  same  mechanical  tone. 

Josh,  hesitated. 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    267 

"  Give  me  the  spade  !  "  said  Madam  Imbert.  Show  me 
where  the  money  is  secreted  !  " 

Then,  turning  to  Josh,  and  his  wife,  she  said  : 

"  You  are  fools  !  You  would  not  only  ruin  Mrs.  Maro- 
ney,  but  yourselves.  Maroney  knows  best  what  is  for  his 
interest." 

Mrs.  Maroney  pointed  out  the  spot  where  the  money 
was  buried.  The  Madam  struck  the  spade  into  the 
ground. 

"  Stop,  I'll  do  it !  "  said  Josh. ;  "  if  you  are  bound  to 
make  a  beggar  of  yourself  it  is  no  fault  of  mine." 

The  money  was  about  eighteen  inches  under  the  level 
of  the  cellar  floor,  wrapped  up  in  a  piece  of  oil  skin.  It 
was  soon  unearthed  and  taken  up  stairs.  Mrs.  Maroney 
said : 

"I  will  go  and  get  the  buggy,  or  —  no!  Josh.!  you  go 
to  Stemples's  and  get  his  team ;  tell  him  it  is  for  me." 

Josh.,  without  waiting  to  fill  up  the  hole,  started  off. 
Madam  Imbert  wrapped  the  money  in  two  newspapers, 
and  when  Josh,  came  with  the  team,  which  he  soon  did, 
put  it  into  the  front  part  of  the  buggy  and  covered  it  with 
the  apron,  and,  getting  in  with  Mrs.  Maroney,  drove  down 
the  lane. 

White,  when  he  received  the  message  from  Mrs.  Ma 
roney,  returned  to  the  Rising  Sun  and  reported  to  me. 
We  (the  Vice-President  and  I)  secreted  ourselves  under 
some  magnolias  growing  close  by  the  lane,  and  near  where 
the  meeting  would  take  place.  At  the  appointed  time  the 
book-peddler  was  seen  by  us  coming  up  the  lane,  and  at 
almost  the  same  moment  a  buggy  came  in  sight  going 


268          PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

down.     It  was  a  moment  of  breathless  interest  to  both 
of  us. 

They  met  almost  directly  opposite  to  where  we  were 
concealed.  Madam  Imbert  said  :  "  Let  us  have  some 
books!  "  The  peddler  lifted  his  satchel  into  the  buggy; 
the  Madam  hurriedly  emptied  it  of  its  contents,  and  hold 
ing  it  open  jammed  the  bundle  of  money  into  it  and 
handed  it  back  to  the  peddler.  Not  a  word  more  was  said. 
Madam  Imbert  turned  the  team  around  and  started  the 
horses  on  a  fast  trot  toward  Jenkinto\vn,  while  the  ped 
dler  sweltered  along  under  the  broiling  sun  in  the  direction 
of  the  tavern. 

Madam  Imbert  drove  up  to  Stemples's,  took  the  books, 
which  were  wrapped  in  papers,  to  her  room,  and  invited 
Mrs.  Maroney  up  to  take  some  brandy. 

Mrs.  Maroney  was  in  a  passive  state,  and  did  everything 
Madam  Imbert  told  her  to  do,  as  if  powerless  to  resist. 
She  remained  for  some  time  with  Madam  Imbert,  but 
finally  said,  in  a  pitiful  tone  :  "  Well,  I  believe  I  am  sick. 
This  excitement  has  nearly  killed  me." 

Madam  Imbert  advised  her  to  lie  down,  and  accompa 
nied  her  to  Cox's.  Josh,  had  gone  out  with  Rivers,  and 
Mrs.  Cox  refused  to  be  seen.  Madam  Imbert  adminis 
tered  an  opiate  to  Mrs.  Maroney,  and  then  returned  to 
the  tavern.  Toward  evening  she  hired  Stemples's  team 
and  drove  into  Philadelphia. 

The  Vice-President  and  I  remained  concealed  until  the 
two  women  were  well  out  of  sight,  when  we  overtook 
White,  who  was  slowly  toiling  down  the  road.  I  received 
the  satchel  containing  the  money  from  him.  From  the 
time  he  received  the  money  until  he  handed  it  over 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  ^AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    269 

to  me,  I  had  had  my  eye  on  him  —  not  exactly  because  I 
did  not  trust  him,  but  I  thought  it  wrong  to  lead  the  poor 
fellow  into  temptation. 

We  went  to  the  Rising  Sun,  where  we  took  dinner,  but 
did  not  mention  the  subject  which  was  uppermost  in  our 
minds.  After  dinner  we  drove  into  the  city  and  placed 
the  money  in  the  vaults  of  the  Express  Company. 

The  Vice-President  at  once  telegraphed  to  the  Presi 
dent  of  the  company  to  come  from  New  York,  as  he  did 
not  wish  to  count  the  money  until  he  was  present. 

In  the  evening  Madam  Imbert  arrived  at  the  hotel,  and 
finding  I  was  in  consultation  with  the  Vice-President,  sent 
word  in  that  she  would  like  to  see  me.  When  I  came  to 
her  she  eagerly  asked  :  "  Is  the  money  all  right?  " 

"All  right,"  I  answered.  When  she  heard  this  her 
strength  seemed  suddenly  to  leave  her,  and  she  nearly 
fainted.  The  victory  was  complete,  but  her  faculties  had 
been  strained  to  the  utmost  in  accomplishing  it,  and  she 
felt  completely  exhausted.  She  had  the  proud  satisfac 
tion  of  knowing  that  to  a  woman  belonged  the  honors  of 
the  day. 

The  President  arrived  on  the  third  of  August,  and  we 
met  at  the  Lapier  House,  where  we  counted  the  money. 
The  package  proved  to  contain  thirty-nine  thousand  five 
hundred  and  fifteen  dollars  —  within  four  hundred  and 
eighty-five  dollars  of  the  amount  last  stolen. 

The  officers  of  the  Adams  Express  Company  were 
much  pleased  at  my  success,  and  perfectly  satisfied  with 
everything.  The  money  had  been  recovered,  and  the  case 
had  come  to  a  stand-still. 

I  held  a  consultation  with  the  President  and  Vice-Pres- 


270  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

ident,  and  asked  them  if  they  had  any  further  orders  for 
me.  The  President  said  I  had  better  finish  the  operation, 
and  not  give  up  until  Maroney  had  been  convicted  and 
placed  in  the  Penitentiary.  I  had  done  them  invaluable 
service  so  far,  but  it  still  remained  to  "  cap  the  climax  " 
by  bringing  the  guilty  party  to  justice.  This  I  assured 
him  would  soon  be  accomplished,  and  I  left  to  give  the 
necessary  orders  to  my  detectives. 

I  told  Madam  Imbert  to  return  to  Jenkintown,  and 
ordered  Rivers  and  Miss  Johnson  also  to  remain  as 
before. 

The  Vice-President  also  told  De  Forest  to  remain  in 
Jenkintown  for  the  present.  Green  was  to  continue  in 
Philadelphia.  Roch,  who  had  been  sent  back  to  Mont 
gomery,  was  to  await  orders  there,  as  was  also  Porter. 
White  was  to  attend  to  Maroney,  while  Bangs  was  to 
continue  in  Philadelphia  in  charge  of  all. 


CHAPTER    XXX. 

ON  the  fifteenth  of  August,  White  called  on  Maroney 
in  Eldridge  street  jail.  He  detailed  what  had 
transpired  at  Jenkintown,  and  told  Maroney  that  he  had 
the  money  hid  in  a  safe  place  in  Philadelphia.  This  was 
undoubtedly  the  truth,  as  the  money  was  safe  in  the 
vaults  of  the  Adams  Express.  I  deemed  it  best  to  curtail 
expenses  as  soon  as  possible,  and  instructed  White  to 
impress  upon  Maroney  that  Jenkintown  was  not  a  safe 
place  for  his  wife,  and  that  she  had  better  leave  there. 
He  was  to  endeavor  to  get  Maroney  to  send  her  to  the 
west,  and  to  Chicago,  if  possible.  He  told  Maroney  that 
he  was  afraid  some  of  the  express  men  were  watching  his 
wife,  and  if  he  did  not  look  out  she  might  be  induced  to 
"  blow  "  on  him  and  tell  all.  He  dwelt  on  his  repugnance 
to  being  mixed  up  with  women  with  such  effect  that 
Maroney  was  convinced  that  she  had  better  go  to  some 
other  part  of  the  country,  and  so  wrote  to  her  at  once. 
He  told  her  she  had  better  go  west.  She  was  so  near  the 
headquarters  of  the  company  that  he  feared  they  might 
find  her  out,  and  make  trouble  for  her.  He  hinted  that 
he  was  not  entirely  satisfied  with  De  Forest,  and  wished 
her  to  go  as  soon  as  possible.  White  said  he  was  having 
the  key  to  the  pouch  made,  and  would  be  able  to  show  it 
to  him  in  a  day  or  two.  He  did  not  wish  any  one  in  the 


272  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

jail  to  see  him  with  the  key,  and  wished  Maroney  to  be 
careful  that  no  prisoners  were  in  their  neighborhood  when 
he  disclosed  it.  When  he  did  bring  the  key  Maroney 
examined  it  closely  and  expressed  himself  well  pleased 
with  it. 

The  day  set  for  the  trial  of  the  suit  in  New  York  was 
near  at  hand,  and  Maroney  would  have  to  prove  that  he 
had  not  taken  the  fifty  thousand  dollars.  He  did  not 
much  care  how  the  suit  went,  as  he  was  confident  he 
would  be  acquitted  at  his  criminal  trial  in  Montgomery. 
When  the  suit  came  off,  we  managed  to  get  a  judgment 
against  him  for  the  fifty  thousand  dollars  in  such  a  manner 
that  it  was  not  necessary  to  let  him  know  that  the  money 
had  been  recovered,  or  that  White  was  working  against 
him.  He  was  of  course  the  principal  witness  in  his  own 
behalf,  and  if  wholesale  perjury  could  have  saved  him  he 
would  have  been  acquitted  beyond  a  doubt. 

The  day  after  the  trial  White  called  on  him  and  he 
laughed  heartily  at  the  judgment  which  had  been  obtained 
against  him. 

"  Wait  till  I  get  to  Montgomery,"  he  said,  "and  then 
they  will  find  that  their  judgment  does  not  amount  to 
shucks.  White,  I  wish  you  would  settle  up  my  matters 
as  soon  as  possible." 

"  I  am  going  to  Charleston  this  evening  to  see  if  I  can't 
pass  some  of  the  money,  and  must  hurry  off  and  pack  my 
satchel,  as  the  train  leaves  at  four.  Good-by  for  a  time; 
I  will  write  and  let  you  know  how  I  succeed,"  said  White, 
as  he  prepared  to  leave. 

"  I  know  you  will  succeed,"  remarked  Maroney,  and 
White  hurriedly  walked  out  of  jail.  This  was  all  done  to 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   273 

blind  Maroney  as  to  White's  real  character.  There  was 
no  necessity  of  White's  leaving  the  city  to  accomplish  his 
purpose.  All  he  had  to  do  was  to  write  letters  and  send 
them  to  the  agents  of  the  Adams  Express  at  the  different 
points  where  Maroney  supposed  him  to  be,  and  they 
would  mail  them  to  Maroney.  He  pretended  that  he  was 
having  great  trouble  in  trying  to  exchange  the  money, 
and  wrote  that  he  would  be  in  New  York  in  a  few  days. 
At  the  end  of  a  week  he  walked  down  to  the  jail.  He 
met  Maroney  with  a  troubled  look  on  his  face,  and  said 
that  he  had  been  frightened  away  from  Charleston  after  he 
had  exchanged  about  five  hundred  dollars.  He  was 
doing  very  well  when  he  found  the  detectives  were  close 
after  him,  and  he  had  to  leave  without  his  carpet  bag. 

"  It  is  up-hill  work,  Maroney,  trying  to  exchange  this 
money.  The  Adams  Express  are  keeping  a  sharp  look 
out  every  where,  and  I  have  had  a  number  of  detectives 
on  my  track.  I  have  no  money  of  my  own  and  need  all 
of  yours.  So  far  I  have  exchanged  only  enough  to  get  me 
to  Montgomery,  and  to  pay  the  girl  for  stuffing  the  Express 
money  into  Chase's  pocket." 

Maroney  gave  White  what  money  he  had,  and  told  him 
to  go  on  and  fix  Chase  as  soon  as  possible.  Mrs.  Ma 
roney  had  all  the  money,  so  that  we  had  to  foot  all 
White's  bills.  The  company  had  already  been  at  heavy 
expense,  and  I  was  desirous  of  stopping  all  unavoid 
able  expenditures.  White  remained  in  Philadelphia  or 
New  York,  as  the  case  might  be,  performing  on  paper 
a  journey  through  the  South.  Maroney  received  letters 
from  him  from  Augusta,  Ga.,  New  Orleans,  Mobile  and 
Montgomery.  He  seemed  to  meet  with  many  adventures 
18 


274          PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

and  reverses,  but  was  slowly  and  surely  accomplishing  his 
mission.  He  had  the  girl  in  Montgomery,  and  she  was 
rapidly  winning  her  way  to  the  innermost  recesses  of 
Chase's  heart.  In  a  couple  of  days  came  another  letter. 
Chase  was  captivated,  and  had  so  far  worked  on  the  con 
fiding,  innocent  nature  of  the  girl  as  to  prevail  on  her  to 
consent  to  let  him  into  her  room  that  night.  She  had 
the  money  to  put  into  Chase's  pocket,  and  all  was  going 
well.  Maroney  could  not  sleep,  so  anxiously  did  he  look 
forward  for  the  coming  of  the  next  letter;  he  paced  his 
cell  all  night.  What  would  have  been  his  feelings  if  he 
could  have  looked  through  about  a  mile  of  brick  and 
mortar  to  where  White  was  snoring  in  bed? 

The  next  day  no  letter  came.  He  grew  almost  frantic, 
and  was  so  irritable  and  excited  that  his  fellow  prisoners 
wondered  what  had  come  over  him.  The  following  day 
the  anxiously  expected  letter  arrived.  He  hastily  broke 
it  open  and  found  that  the  faithful  White  had  been  true 
to  his  trust.  Chase  had  gone  into  the  girl's  room, 
McGibony  had  seized  him  as  he  came  out,  a  search  was 
instituted  and  the  stolen  money  and  a  pouch  key  had 
been  discovered  in  his  pocket. 

"  Hurrah  !"  said  Maroney,  "  I  am  all  right  now!  Boys, 
here  is  five  dollars,  the  last  cent  I  have!  We  will  make 
a  jolly  day  of  it." 

We  will  now  return  to  our  friends  in  Jenkintown.  It 
took  some  time  for  Maroney  to  impress  upon  his  wife  the 
necessity  of  her  going  West.  She  had  little  money,  for 
though  she  had  pocketed  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of 
her  husband's  livery  stable,  and  other  effects,  in  Mont- 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.    275 

gomery,  her  expenses  had  been  heavy,  and  the  money  had 
dwindled  away  until  she  was  nearly  penniless. 

One  day  Mrs.  Maroney  said  to  Madam  Imbert  : 
"  Wouldn't  you  like  to  go  out  west  somewhere  and  settle 
down  for  a  while  ?  " 

"  It  makes  no  difference  to  me  where  I  go,"  she  replied. 
"  I  have  to  see  the  gentleman  who  exchanges  my  money 
for  me,  once  in  a  while ;  but  no  matter  where  I  go,  he  is 
sure  to  come  to  me  when  I  send  for  him.  Why  would  it 
not  be  a  good  plan  to  go  to  some  place  in  the  South? 
Swansboro,  N.  C.,  is  a  good  place." 

"Yes,"  remarked  Mrs.  Maroney,  "  but  it  is  so  dull !  " 

"What  do  you  say  to  Jackson,  Mississippi?  It  is  a 
beautiful  place." 

"  No,  we  don't  want  to  go  South  now,  it  is  altogether 
too  warm.  Were  you  ever  in  Chicago,  Madam  Imbert  ?  " 

"  No  ;  but  it  is  a  good  place  to  summer  in,  I  understand." 

"  Well,  let's  go  there  ;  will  you  ?  " 

"Yes,  certainly,  if  you  wish,"  said  Madam  Imbert;  and 
they  at  once  began  to  arrange  for  their  departure.  It  was 
decided  that  Madam  Imbert  should  go  ahead  to  Chicago, 
and  see  if  she  could  rent  a  furnished  house  for  them. 
She  started  off,  and,  as  a  matter  of  course,  easily  accom 
plished  her  purpose. 

I  had  a  house  in  Chicago,  where  I  lodged  my  female 
detectives,  and  as  I  had  only  two  in  the  city  at  the  time, 
I  easily  found  them  a  boarding-house,  and  turned  the 
house  over  to  Madam  Imbert.  The  servants  were  well 
trained,  and  understood  their  business  thoroughly.  Every 
thing  being  arranged,  Madam  Imbert  wrote  to  Mrs. 
Maroney  and  Miss  Johnson,  telling  them  to  come  on. 


276  PINKERTON'S  DETECTIVE  STORIES. 

Two  weeks  after,  Mrs.  Maroney,  Miss  Johnson,  and  Flora 
arrived  in  Chicago,  and  took  up  their  quarters  with 
Madam  Imbert. 

It  was  necessary  to  have  a  young  man  to  run  their 
errands,  and  Shanks  was  promptly  furnished  them.  White 
did  not  need  his  services  any  longer,  as  he  was  able  to 
run  his  own  errands. 

Business  was  crowding  fast,  and  the  time  set  for  Ma 
roney 's  trial  at  Montgomery  was  drawing  near.  The 
Governor  of  Alabama  requested  the  Governor  of  New 
York  to  deliver  Maroney  for  trial  in  Montgomery,  which 
request  was  immediately  acceded  to. 

I  sent  Maroney  South  in  charge  of  an  officer  from  Phi. 
adelphia,  of  course  "shadowed  "  by  my  own  men. 

This  was  the  last  time  that  Roch  was  on  duty  in  this 
case.  He  had  done  good  service  already  in  its  early 
stages,  and  might  be  of  service  again. 

The  Vice-President  accompanied   the  parties. 

When  they  arrived  in  Montgomery,  Maroney  was  not 
met  and  escorted  to  the  Exchange  by  a  bevy  of  admiring 
friends.  On  the  contrary,  he  was  led  to  jail.  Hope  never 
forsook  him.  He  received  letters  from  White,  who  said 
all  was  going  well,  and  he  expected  to  get  the  funds 
exchanged  soon.  Maroney  wrote  in  reply  that  he  hoped 
he  would  hurry  up,  as  he  wished  to  give  a  part  of  the 
money  to  his  lawyer  in  New  York.  The  lawyer  was  evi 
dently  expecting  to  reap  a  rich  harvest  at  the  company's 
expense.  Little  more  need  be  said. 

The  Circuit  Court  was  in  session,  His  Honor  John  Gill 
Shorter,  presiding,  and  Maroney  would  soon  be  tried 
before  him.  He  was  confident  that  he  would  be  acquitted 


THE  EXPRESSMAN  AND  THE  DETECTIVE.   277 

and  had  all  his  plans  made  as  to  what  he  would  do  when 
he  was  liberated.  Not  the  shadow  of  a  doubt  had  crossed 
his  mind  as  to  the  fealty  of  White. 

He  heard  that  he  was  in  Montgomery  and  received  a 
note  from  him,  saying  that  all  was  well ;  that  the  Adams 
Express  had  compelled  him  to  come  —  an  unwilling  wit 
ness  —  to  see  if  they  could  not  force  the  secret  from  him, 
but  they  would  find  that  they  had  "collared  "  the  wrong 
man  this  time.  Maroney  was  braced  up  by  this  note. 
He  knew  that  White  would  not  give  up ;  he  felt  confident 
of  that! 

It  was  the  morning  of  the  trial,  and  before  nightfall  he 
would  be  a  free  man.  It  was  a  lovely  day  and  the  court 
room  was  packed  with  spectators,  among  whom  were 
many  of  Maroney 's  former  friends. 

He  walked  proudly  into  the  court-room,  between  two 
deputies,  with  an  air  that  plainly  said,  "  I  am  bound  to 
win  !  " 

His  friends  clustered  around  him  and  vied  with  each 
other  as  to  who  could  show  him  the  most  attention.  Fore 
most  among  them  was  Porter,  to  whom  he  gave  an  extra 
shake  of  the  hand.  I  will  not  dwell  upon  the  trial.  The 
witnesses  for  the  prosecution  were  called  one  by  one. 
They  were  the  employes  of  the  company  who  were  in  any 
way  connected  with  the  shipment  or  the  discovery  of  the 
loss  of  the  money,  which  ought  to  have  been  sent  to 
Atlanta,  when,  in  reality,  it  had  gone  down  the  Alabama 
in  Maroney 's  old  trunk. 

The  witnesses  proved  that  the  money  had  disappeared 
in  some  mysterious  way;  but  they  did  not  in  the  slightest 
degree  fasten  the  guilt  upon  Maroney.  His  spirits  rose 


278  PJNKERTON'S  J)ETKCT1VR  STORIES. 

as  the  trial  progressed,  and  his  counsel  could  not  but 
smile  as  he  heard  the  weak  testimony  he  had  to  break 
down.  He  had  expected  a  toughly  contested  case,  but 
the  prosecutors  had  presented  no  case  at  all. 

At  length,  the  crier  of  the  court  called  "  John  R. 
White." 

As  John  R.  White  did  not  immediately  appear  in 
answer  to  the  call,  Maroney  seemed,  during  the  brief 
period  of  silence,  to  suddenly  realize  how  critical  was 
his  position.  His  cheek  blanched  with  fear.  He  seemed 
striving  to  speak,  but  not  a  word  could  he  articulate. 
As  White  deliberately  walked  up  to  the  witness-stand, 
Maroney  seemed  at  once  to  realize  that  White  would 
never  perjure  himself  for  the  sake  of  befriending  him. 
His  eyes  were  filled  with  horror  and  he  gasped  for  breath. 

A  glass  of  water  was  handed  to  him.  He  gulped  it 
down,  and,  vainly  endeavoring  to  force  back  the  tears 
from  his  eyes,  in  a  hoarse,  shaky  voice,  he  exclaimed  : 

"  Oh,  God  !  "  Then,  turning  to  his  counsel,  he  said  : 
"Tell  the  court  I  plead  guilty.  He,"  pointing  to  White, 
"  knows  the  whole.  I  am  guilty  ! !  I  am  gone  ! ! !  " 

This  ended  the  matter.  The  counsel  entered  a  plea 
of  guilty  and  the  Judge  sentenced  Maroney  to  pass  tei? 
years  in  the  Alabama  Penitentiary,  at  hard  labor. 

THE  END. 


000  759  530     9 


